Latest news with #SouthAsian
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
iPhone exports to US trump last year numbers by 76%
Apple 's vendors shipped 2.9 million iPhones to the United States from India in April, according to market research firm Omdia, a 76% surge year-on-year, as the American tech firm persisted with its plan to meet domestic demand from the South Asian nation despite President Donald Trump's mounting pressure to switch to manufacturing locally. Similar numbers are expected in May, following the company's move to shift production out of China to reduce its overreliance on a single production base. In April, China suffered a commensurate 76% fall in iPhone exports to the US, at 900,000 units, from 3.7 million a year ago, Omdia said. Market tracker Counterpoint Research said its initial estimates peg iPhone exports from India to the US in April to be around 2.9-3 million. The April numbers were, however, lower than in March, when the Cupertino-based company raced to meet the April 2 deadline when the US imposed steep retaliatory tariffs on countries with which it had a trade deficit, with China the hardest hit. Industry executives said that Apple's shift toward India was accelerating and that the lower export volume in April was in line with the weak shipments usually seen in the April-June period, ahead of the launch of new models in the September quarter. Tariff Threat Apple has to contend with President Trump's threat this week of imposing a 25% tariff on iPhones sold in the US that are not made locally. However, producing iPhones in the US is likely to increase sticker prices substantially, with some experts estimating the Pro models to cost well over $3,000 apiece, from $1,119 now, on account of higher labour cost and complex logistics in sourcing the necessary components. 'In terms of profitability, it's way better for Apple to take the hit of a 25% tariff on iPhones sold in the US market than to move iPhone assembly lines back to the US,' said Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple analyst at TF Securities, Hong Kong. Live Events CAPACITY EXPANSION Last week, Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn (Hon Hai) announced a fresh $1.5 billion investment in expanding its Chennai facility in a bid to strengthen capacity. The manufacturer has also constructed a new facility in Karnataka which will start shipping iPhones from June. Similarly, Tata Electronics, the company's second largest vendor for making iPhones in India, is expanding capacity at its Hosur facility for both enclosures and full-scale iPhone assembly. It has also acquired the majority stake in Pegatron's facility, which is Apple's third supplier in India. Some say India's manufacturing capacity is unlikely to scale up fast enough to fully meet the US demand for Apple. According to Omdia, the US market requires about 20 million iPhones per quarter, but India is expected to meet only about 80% of that demand by 2026. PARTIAL SHIFT LIKELY In the first quarter of 2025, India accounted for 21% of global iPhone shipments, with projections suggesting an increase in its share to 25-26% by the end of the year. The constraint India faces is not technical, but that of scale, as per analysts. With Apple now making even the high-end Pro and Pro Max models in India, much of the workforce training is complete, said Omdia. 'A full transition of US-bound iPhone production to India within a year remains unlikely. A partial shift is more feasible, though it still requires substantial investment in infrastructure and continued reliance on China for key components,' said Sanyam Chaurasia, analyst at Canalys (now part of Omdia). Apple is navigating a complex balancing act among its three most critical markets — China, US and India – not just as customer bases, but as an integral part of its global supply and production network, experts said. 'China remains deeply entrenched in Apple's manufacturing ecosystem, home to over 200 key suppliers. Shifting assembly to the US is not a logical move. It would mean attempting to relocate a tightly interwoven supply chain,' said Chaurasia. Meanwhile, India has rapidly evolved from a secondary hub to a central pillar of global tech manufacturing, underscored by the sharp increase in iPhone exports from India, he said.
Kuwait Times
6 hours ago
- Business
- Kuwait Times
India, Pakistan drone battles mark new arms race in Asia
Nuclear rivals to invest large sums in drones NEW DELHI: A little after 8:00 pm on May 8, red flares streaked through the night sky over the northern Indian city of Jammu as its air-defense systems opened fire on drones from neighboring Pakistan. The Indian and Pakistani militaries have deployed high-end fighter jets, conventional missiles and artillery during decades of clashes, but the four days of fighting in May marked the first time New Delhi and Islamabad utilized unmanned aerial vehicles at scale against each other. The fighting halted after the US announced it brokered a ceasefire but the South Asian powers, which spent more than $96 billion on defense last year, are now locked in a drones arms race, according to Reuters' interviews with 15 people, including security officials, industry executives and analysts in the two countries. Two of them said they expect increased use of UAVs by the nuclear-armed neighbors because small-scale drone attacks can strike targets without risking personnel or provoking uncontrollable escalation. India plans to invest heavily in local industry and could spend as much as $470 million on UAVs over the next 12 to 24 months, roughly three times pre-conflict levels, said Smit Shah of Drone Federation India, which represents over 550 companies and regularly interacts with the government. The previously unreported forecast, which came as India this month approved roughly $4.6 billion in emergency military procurement funds, was corroborated by two other industry executives. The Indian military plans to use some of that additional funding on combat and surveillance drones, according to two Indian officials familiar with the matter. Defense procurement in India tends to involve years of bureaucratic processes but officials are now calling drone makers in for trials and demonstrations at an unprecedented pace, said Vishal Saxena, a vice president at Indian UAV firm ideaForge Technology The Pakistan Air Force, meanwhile, is pushing to acquire more UAVs as it seeks to avoid risking its high-end aircraft, said a Pakistani source familiar with the matter. Pakistan and India both deployed cutting-edge generation 4.5 fighter jets during the latest clashes but cash-strapped Islamabad only has about 20 high-end Chinese-made J-10 fighters compared to the three dozen Rafales that Delhi can muster. Pakistan is likely to build on existing relationships to intensify collaboration with China and Turkey to advance domestic drone research and production capabilities, said Oishee Majumdar of defense intelligence firm Janes. Islamabad is relying on a collaboration between Pakistan's National Aerospace Science and Technology Park and Turkish defense contractor Baykar that locally assembles the YIHA-III drone, the Pakistani source said, adding a unit could be produced domestically in between two to three days. Pakistan's military declined to respond to Reuters' questions. The Indian defense ministry and Baykar did not return requests for comment. India and Pakistan 'appear to view drone strikes as a way to apply military pressure without immediately provoking large-scale escalation,' said King's College London political scientist Walter Ladwig III. 'UAVs allow leaders to demonstrate resolve, achieve visible effects, and manage domestic expectations — all without exposing expensive aircraft or pilots to danger,' he added. But such skirmishes are not entirely risk-free, and Ladwig noted that countries could also send UAVs to attack contested or densely populated areas where they might not previously have used manned platforms. Drone swarms and vintage guns The fighting in May, which was the fiercest in this century between the neighbors, came after an April 22 militant attack in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly Indian tourists. Delhi blamed the killings on 'terrorists' backed by Islamabad, which denied the charge. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed revenge and Delhi on May 7 launched air strikes on what it described as 'terrorist infrastructure' in Pakistan. The next night, Pakistan sent hordes of drones along a 1,700-kilometer (772-mile) front with India, with between 300 and 400 of them pushing in along 36 locations to probe Indian air defences, Indian officials have said. Pakistan depended on Turkish-origin YIHA-III and Asisguard Songar drones, as well as the Shahpar-II UAV produced domestically by the state-owned Global Industrial & Defense Solutions conglomerate, according to two Pakistani sources. But much of this drone deployment was cut down by Cold War-era Indian anti-aircraft guns that were rigged to modern military radar and communication networks developed by state-run Bharat Electronics, according to two Indian officials. A Pakistan source denied that large numbers of its drones were shot down on May 8, but India did not appear to sustain significant damage from that drone raid. India's use of the anti-aircraft guns, which had not been designed for anti-drone-warfare, turned out to be surprisingly effective, said retired Indian Brig Anshuman Narang, now an UAV expert at Delhi's Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. 'Ten times better than what I'd expected,' he said. India also sent Zionist HAROP, Polish WARMATE and domestically-produced UAVs into Pakistani airspace, according to one Indian and two Pakistan sources. Some of them were also used for precision attacks on what two Indian officials described as military and militant infrastructure. The two Pakistani security sources confirmed that India deployed a large number of the HAROPs - a long-range loitering munition drone manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries. Such UAVs, also known as suicide drones, stay over a target before crashing down and detonating on impact. Pakistan set up decoy radars in some areas to draw in the HAROPs, or waited for their flight time to come towards its end, so that they fell below 3,000 feet and could be shot down, a third Pakistani source said. Both sides claim to have notched victories in their use of UAVs. India successfully targeted infrastructure within Pakistan with minimal risk to personnel or major platforms, said KCL's Ladwig. For Pakistan's military, which claimed to have struck Indian defense facilities with UAVs, drone attacks allow it to signal action while drawing less international scrutiny than conventional methods, he noted. Cheap but with Achilles heel Despite the loss of many drones, both sides are doubling down. 'We're talking about relatively cheap technology,' said Washington-based South Asia expert Michael Kugelman. 'And while UAVs don't have the shock and awe effect of missiles and fighter jets, they can still convey a sense of power and purpose for those that launch them.' Indian defense planners are likely to expand domestic development of loitering munitions UAVs, according to an Indian security source and Sameer Joshi of Indian UAV maker NewSpace, which is deepening its research and development on such drones. 'Their ability to loiter, evade detection, and strike with precision marked a shift toward high-value, low-cost warfare with mass produced drones,' said Joshi, whose firm supplies the Indian military. — Reuters And firms like ideaForge, which has supplied over 2,000 UAVs to the Indian security forces, are also investing on enhancing the ability of its drones to be less vulnerable to electronic warfare, said Saxena. Another vulnerability that is harder to address is the Indian drone program's reliance on hard-to-replace components from China, an established military partner of Pakistan, four Indian dronemakers and officials said. India continues to depend on China-made magnets and lithium for UAV batteries, said Drone Federation India's Shah. 'Weaponization of the supply chain is also an issue,' said ideaForge's Saxena on the possibility of Beijing shutting the tap on components in certain situations. For instance, Chinese restrictions on the sale of drones and components to Ukraine have weakened Kyiv's ability to produce critical combat drones, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank. A spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry said in response to Reuters' questions that Beijing has always implemented export controls on dual-use items in accordance with domestic laws and regulations as well as its international obligations. 'Diversification of supply chain is a medium to long term problem,' said Shah. 'You can't solve it in short term.'- Reuters
Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
On being an art historian and a theorist
Listen to article Dear Dr Mussarrat Hassan, To a masoomana question: Why am I more interested in art history and theory than in making art? My straightforward answer was that right after my graduation from NCA, I was given a class to teach History of Culture and Visual Arts and not painting. Can't say if it was Mrs Hashmi's foresight or mere fate. The fact is that I was among the few who could connect with Prof Iqbal Hassan, our Western Art History instructor, his pace and pedagogy. While others would avoid attending his lectures, finding them taxing or somewhat unimportant for studio practice, we, a group of enthusiasts, would ask for extra time and discussions. However, it was not until I met you during my PhD coursework that I truly realised the importance of theoretical aspects of artmaking without which contemporary art would be a meaningless activity. You taught the History of South Asian Art, introducing us to local art forms. Learning about indigenous art gave a clearer insight into Dr Durre's question: Who Am I? Since then, you have been the greatest source of inspiration and a true mentor who encouraged me to be consistent in writing. I have been told that I am good at storytelling which is, frankly, the ultimate constant in my equation. Quoting from my grade six scrapbook: "I chase stories like fireflies on summer nights, capturing their essence in jars of imagination, where they dance and shimmer, lighting the path ahead," Only if I remember being so romantic. But it is romantic to devote oneself to a cause and be hopeful that it shall bear fruit. If so, you are the most romantic person I ever came across. And I am not just referring to your love story with Sir Ijaz-ul Hassan, to whom you have been a muse, a partner and a support system. Mashallah. Your story as an art educationist and historian is worth sharing. Towards the end of the 20th century, academics worldwide were eager to decolonise the canon of art history. The discipline grew presence in educational institutions within Pakistan, too. Universities launched degree programmes with a focus on producing and preparing scholars to add to the global voices. There was a need to sensitise the students to local art. It required more focus on genuine pedagogies, relevant to this region. Such an approach demanded surveys and anthologies of art history compiled by unbiased writers who could highlight the South Asian aesthetic sensibilities. Though the scarcity of such writers is felt even today, you stand out amongst the few who opted to combat the situation and concentrated on research and writing as early as the 1990s. Producing five books with limited resources, a gap in research literacy and a lack of recognition for the expertise is a great feat indeed. In the pre-digital era, these books on art are, as you say, "the 2nd best alternative to living works of art. It is another way of exhibiting and displaying art, especially in the absence of permanent art galleries in various districts and cities of Pakistan." Your books are a treat for the layman, a treasure for the art students and a model for the new generation of art historians that you have trained over the period. Qadeem Insaan Aur Fan-e Musawwari, published in 1996, is amongst the very few art history surveys written in Urdu. Providing Urdu explanations for frequently used English terminology makes it somewhat bilingual. It typically traces the art through the ages and is surely an alternative to the most popular survey book in English with the same title. The second book, Painting in Punjab Plains, is based on your doctoral research. It documents and analyses the works of 200 artists from Punjab, active between 1849 and 1947. The history of South Asian art, as a modern genre, mainly relied upon the court chronicles of the emperors and British State gazetteers. The authenticity of both sources is tainted with political motives and personal bias. Contrary to such narratives, your commentary is based on facts and common sense. With due respect and all the regards, I shall write again to discuss other books. Bano May 2025
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Google begins direct sales of Pixel devices in India via official online Google Store
HighlightsGoogle has initiated direct online sales of its hardware products, including Pixel smartphones, watches, and earbuds, in India through the official Google Store website. The company is preparing to open its first physical retail stores in India, aiming to replicate the successful retail strategy employed by Apple Inc. over the past two decades. Currently, Apple dominates the premium smartphone market in India with a 55% share, while Google's Pixel holds a mere 2% share, according to estimates from the research group Counterpoint. Google on Thursday began direct online sales of its popular hardware devices in India, including Pixel phones, watches and earbuds, ahead of an anticipated launch of its first physical stores in the South Asian nation. The Alphabet-owned firm said it has for the first time enabled direct online purchases for Indian users on the official Google Store website. The company currently sells it products in India through authorised retailers and via Walmart-backed e-commerce platform Flipkart. Apple, its bigger rival in the premium smartphone category, already sells its phones directly to Indian users, and operates its own retail stores in Mumbai and in New Delhi, with more planned. Google is close to deciding on locations in India where it will open its first physical retail stores outside the United States, Reuters reported in February. In launching the physical stores, Google has sought to mirror a retail approach that helped Apple Inc rake in billions of dollars in the last two decades by showcasing its own products. Apple has 500 plus stores worldwide. Pixel phones in India cost from about $360 to $1,900 for top-end models. Apple's iPhones cost from about $520-$2,100. Google has also started making Pixel smartphones in India. In 2024, Apple dominated the local market for premium phones, priced above $520, with a roughly 55% share, compared with Pixel's 2% share, estimates from research group Counterpoint showed. The fast-growing Indian market has about 712 million smartphone users currently.
Washington Post
14 hours ago
- General
- Washington Post
Ask Sahaj: I've never felt worthy of love or attention. How can I start?
Hi Sahaj! I'm 26 years old and ethnically South Asian. I've never really felt worthy of love or attention — romantic or otherwise. Growing up, I didn't feel like I deserved hobbies or interests just for my own enjoyment, and now as an adult, I struggle with prioritizing myself. I'd love to dive into painting, pottery, going to coffee shops or just spending relaxing afternoons at the park (stuff that genuinely brings me joy), but I have a constant fear of doing those things. I can't understand why. I've always put other people's needs above mine, to the point where I feel like I don't even know how to center myself in my own life. I wonder if this is common for women of color? Maybe it's rooted in some deeper cultural or societal messaging I've internalized? At this age, it's starting to weigh on me that I've never been pursued romantically. I've never experienced the warmth and affection of romantic love. Seeing everyone around me enjoying supportive relationships makes me feel incredibly lonely and somehow 'lesser-than.' Deep down, there's a fear I'm unattractive and undeserving because I don't fit into the White, Eurocentric beauty standards that dominate the culture around me. It's making me question my own worth in ways that hurt deeply. How can I begin to believe I deserve love, hobbies and happiness? How can I learn to genuinely love myself and see myself as deserving of being at the center of my own life, especially when the messages around me seem to suggest otherwise? — What About Me? What About Me?: You have been performing 'excellence' as a survival strategy. You may have been taught, implicitly or explicitly, that you owe your family success, stability and credibility in exchange for their sacrifices. This isn't uncommon in South Asian families and in immigrant families more broadly. Over time, this pursuit of excellence becomes entangled with your sense of self-worth. You start to believe your value lies in how well you fulfill the duty placed on you. But who are you without the 'model child' mask? What parts of you had to be hidden, silenced or softened to be seen as dutiful? It's okay to step away from perfection. It's okay to choose joy, creativity and rest — not as rewards, but as your birthright. Who are you when you are not producing, giving or doing? It sounds like you may come from a family where love is shown through provision, discipline, protection — not affection, validation or freedom to explore personal joy. So it makes total sense that now, as an adult, you struggle to center yourself without guilt. You weren't born believing you were undeserving — you learned it. This isn't just psychological. It's generational, cultural and systemic, and that's why it's so hard to 'just believe' you deserve love and happiness. But joy is not selfish. It's not frivolous. Joy is a form of healing, and quite honestly, it's an act of rebellion and resistance. You're not 'wasting time' when you go to a coffee shop or paint for an afternoon; you're rewriting the story that your worth comes from labor or self-sacrifice. I understand this can feel uncomfortable, but start small. Spend 10 minutes once a week sketching, or have a goal to go to one coffee shop in the next two weeks and do nothing except people-watch. It will be so important for you to slowly infuse this joy and creativity into your life; otherwise, you will never do it. Consider bringing a friend or accountability partner along for a pottery class, or journal as you go to process how this feels and what you are unlearning/learning about yourself along the way. Doing more of what you want will also allow you to see yourself in a more positive light. You are feeling the pressures of Eurocentric beauty standards — which can affect even the most self-assured people — but neglecting your desires is almost certainly compounding the issue. As I said in a previous column, society constantly decenters women of color from desirability narratives, but that doesn't mean you're not desirable. When you've never been reflected in stories of softness, affection and being wanted, it makes sense you'd internalize a sense of invisibility. Healing this starts with seeing yourself with new eyes and surrounding yourself with voices that reflect that back. That could mean following South Asian artists, models and creators who redefine beauty. Or it could mean reading poetry or stories by women of color about love and desire. Even more, turn the lens inward and affirm your own worth. What do you love about yourself? What does it mean to listen to your bodily wisdom of what feels good and pleasurable? What are your needs in relationships? I don't believe you need to love yourself to be loved by others; after all, relationships can actually give us agency to discover self-love. So while you wait for romantic love, pursue reparative relationships — where you feel safe, seen and can practice being vulnerable — in friendships and with strangers. Get to know that barista at the local coffee shop you're going to visit. Practice showing up in your fullness. Love that aligns with who you are will come when it comes. And it will not make you more whole; it will simply meet you where you already are. You're not 'less than' for not having had that yet. You're simply waiting for someone who can hold the fullness of your being, which you are just now learning to reclaim for yourself. Let the romantic loneliness remind you that you crave connection not because you're lacking, but because you were made for it. You ask how you can truly believe you deserve love, hobbies and happiness. The truth is: You don't 'convince' yourself. Rather, you begin to believe it by practicing it, gently and consistently, in your life.
