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Time of India
a day ago
- Climate
- Time of India
See Better, Breathe Fresher: Clean Air Paints Sky Blue For Second Day
New Delhi: Delhiites saw clear blue skies on Thursday as air quality remained in the 'satisfactory' category for the second straight day. The AQI stood at 89, compared to 81 on Wednesday, when the city had recorded its cleanest air in 261 days. Although Delhi did not receive any rain between 8.30am and 5.30pm, the Met department issued a 'yellow' alert for light to very light rain accompanied by a thunderstorm and gusty winds up to 40kmph from Fridayto Monday. Thursday was this year's fourth 'satisfactory' day. Delhi, however, is yet to experience a 'good' day so far in 2025. The last 'good' air day was Sept 10, 2023, when the AQI was at 45 due to rains and the restrictions imposed for the G20 Summit. In March, Delhi witnessed two consecutive 'satisfactory' air days, on March 15 and 16, with AQI readings of 85 and 99, respectively. CPCB defines a 'good' air day as one when AQI is below 51, while a 'satisfactory' level has an AQI reading of 51-100. The air quality is predicted to deteriorate to the 'moderate' category on Friday but may again stay in the 'satisfactory' range on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, which is the forecasting body under the Union ministry of earth sciences. "Due to easterly winds and the presence of moisture, rain is likely to happen this week. As rain and gusty winds are expected over the next few days, it will help in settling down the pollutants," said an official. The maximum temperature on Thursday was recorded at 36.4 degrees Celsius, two degrees below normal, compared to Wednesday's 34.2 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature settled at 27.2 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature on Friday is likely to stay between 36-38 degrees Celsius while the minimum is predicted to stay around 27-29 degrees Celsius. The southwest monsoon is also progressing in north-west India. The normal date for the onset of the southwest monsoon over Delhi is June 27, but IMD has not specified when it is expected to reach the city. "Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon over the remaining parts of North Arabian Sea and MP; some more parts of Rajasthan and UP; some parts of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad during the next two-three days," said IMD. Conditions are also becoming favourable for further advance of the southwest monsoon over some parts of Punjab and Haryana during the subsequent two-three days, it added.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
In climate of conflicts, a corridor of necessity
With the airspace closed over Iran and denied over Pakistan, the Air India flight from Frankfurt to Delhi last weekend flew southeast over Athens, crossed the Mediterranean to Cairo, turned east to fly across the Red Sea and the Arabian Peninsula to Oman and then over the sea to enter India in the Kutch region. Nearly 12,000 metres above sea level, it traced the path of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). I was returning from the inaugural edition of the Raisina Mediterranean Dialogue, where every session turned into a discussion on IMEC. The flight was evidence of both its existence and necessity. Few positive ideas have energised the world in recent times as much as IMEC after it was unveiled in September 2023 in Delhi at the G20 Summit of the Indian presidency. There have been competing claims on its provenance, with western literature often describing it as a US-led initiative. However, it was initially conceived as a post-Covid project for a strategic India-Middle East corridor by India's national security advisor. It was later extended to Israel's Mediterranean port of Haifa and onwards to Europe to serve multiple Indian geopolitical and economic goals. In IMEC, the Gulf seeks to reprise its historical role in trade, diversify its economy and markets and pursue its geopolitical ambitions. The US entered the project, drawn by regional competition with China and hope of normalising Arab-Israel relations; however, conditions and US relevance may have changed now. Geopolitical, economic, energy, and digital connectivity interests attracted Europe, seeking to rebalance relations amidst structural external shocks. Following France, Italy, Germany and the EU became members. The raging and expanding conflicts in the Middle East since IMEC's launch have raised grave doubts about the initiative. To the contrary, the developments only reinforce the need for resilient corridors that connect India and Europe and, more broadly, the Indo-Pacific with the Euro-Atlantic. IMEC is often imagined as a mega infrastructure project along a single multimodal route entailing hundreds of billion dollars in investments with its attendant challenges of financing, risk mitigation and timelines. However, almost 90% of the infrastructure already exists — sea connectivity between India and the Gulf; the growing rail network across the Gulf; and world-class ports that dot the Mediterranean coasts. The rail link between Saudi Arabia and Haifa remains to be built. But, if that gap remains too politically difficult to bridge at the moment, there are alternatives through Egypt, Lebanon and, if it stabilises, through Syria. In any case, just as redundancies are built into strategic telecommunication networks, shippers should have the flexibility to switch between alternative nodes for secure, quick and competitive logistics. It is, therefore, important to think of IMEC as a network rather than a single route. The Suez, too, will continue to remain the key shipping route, especially for bulk cargo. IMEC will, however, reduce the relevance of the circuitous route around the African continent. Multiple submarine cables carrying data already link India to Europe. The data capacity is set to grow with Blue-Raman. In Marseille, emerging as a major submarine cable junction, India accounts for a significant share of the capacity of data centres. The pipelines and submarine cables transmitting clean hydrogen and electricity from the Gulf in either direction may seem overly ambitious. But such submarine projects already exist in the world. New ones are already gaining attention and financing. The 2,000-km EastMed-Poseidon gas pipeline to transport Israeli/Cypriot gas to Greece, the Euro-Asia connector linking their electricity grid or the hydrogen pipeline from Tunisia-Algeria to Italy and onwards are examples of new projects. The IMEC should get higher priority under the European Union's Global Gateway. What is needed most is connecting the dots for coordinated development of the infrastructure being established nationally or by a group of countries along the corridor; an agreement between governments on the seamless and smooth transit of goods on a multimodal, multi-country network; harmonisation of standards and governance; enabling framework for accelerating trade, such as the conclusion of the EU-India free trade agreement; industrial acceleration in India; security cooperation; and, coordinating mechanisms involving participating governments and the private sector. Many companies operate across the corridor. IMEC has generated strong interest across Europe and triggered a deeper conversation on Mediterranean connectivity and integration. While ports in Greece, Croatia, Italy and France are vying to be the main terminal points, each would serve specific destinations in Europe. North African ports such as Alexandria and Port Said in Egypt and Tangiers in Morocco wish to be connected. A more integrated Mediterranean network would increase IMEC's value. Indeed, the M in IMEC could well stand for MENA (Middle East-North Africa). Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Cyprus and Croatia this week as also his earlier visits to Egypt, Greece, Italy and France, and possibly to Morocco in the near future, indicate an integrated vision of the Mediterranean basin — from the northern-most palm grove to the northern-most olive grove — for its own potential but also as a gateway to the vast African and European continents and beyond. The seas are one. Trouble in any maritime domain has global impact. The Mediterranean connects the East and the West. Not just the Middle East, the calm azure waters of the Mediterranean also carry challenges. Politics of immigration and security threatens Europe's links with North Africa. There are regional rivalries involving Turkey, Greece and Cyprus and the unstable eastern seaboard of the Mediterranean from Gaza to Syria. The spillover of the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the growing Chinese economic and naval presence bring strategic competition to the region. A broader regional engagement by India and closer coordination among Mediterranean countries will help advance IMEC. The MENA region has multiple sources and layers of competition and conflict that are not easy to resolve. As Europe, India and the region seek deeper partnership, IMEC is a necessity. It is not one grand greenfield infrastructure project with an inauguration day. It is an evolving project that must be guided by realistic goals and concomitant design. Beyond political commitment and coordination, involvement of companies, including infrastructure, logistics, shipping, energy and digital, with operational experience along the route in shaping IMEC is vital. That is essential for IMEC to succeed and not go the way of several other corridors conceived with great enthusiasm. Jawed Ashraf is a retired Indian ambassador. The views expressed are personal.
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Delightful, India has progressed in every field from 2014 to 2025": Union Minister Annapurna Devi praises 11 years of NDA
New Delhi [India], June 19 (ANI): Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi on Thursday praised the Centre's 11 years of governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the journey has been delightful. Speaking to the media, the Union Minister asserted that India has progressed in every sector from 2014 to 2025. 'This journey of 11 years has been delightful. India has progressed in every field from 2014 to 2025. Today, people are moving forward with women are progressing in every are working towards women's nutrition, safety, protection and women empowerment,' Annapurna Devi said. Over the last ten years, India's global footprint has expanded thereby ensuring India's voice resonates across global platforms. From the presidency at the G20 Summit, to initiatives such as the Vaccine Maitri program, in the last 11 years, India has emerged as a global leader through impactful initiatives that blend vision with execution. India's presidency of the G20 spotlighted the Global South and delivered concrete outcomes, including the launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance. Whether through diplomacy, humanitarian aid, or strategic defence, India has crafted a new narrative of influence and self-reliance. In the last 11 years, India has stepped up as a global leader through impactful initiatives that blend vision with execution. This is reflected across areas such as climate change, energy transition, public health or artificial intelligence. India shows that it has driven conversations and crafted coalitions that put the nation's priorities at the centre of global discourse. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership has anchored these efforts in responsibility and inclusivity, ensuring India's voice resonates across global platforms. The global leadership prowess of India was reflected during the G20 presidency, where a major highlight was the unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration, despite deep divides on global issues like the Ukraine conflict. This achievement underscored India's growing stature as a consensus builder and its ability to lead amid global uncertainty. Expanding India's global diplomatic presence, since 2014-2024, India has opened 39 new embassies and consulates, bringing the total number to 219. In the recent past, relief and evacuation efforts by the government stand testimony to the idea of 'nation first' policy. Some major evacuation missions include, Vande Bharat Mission (2020-22); Operation Devi Shakti, Afghanistan (2021), Operation Ganga, Ukraine (2022); Operation Kaveri , Sudan (2023) and Operation Ajay, Israel amongst others. Under PM Modi, India's approach has been rooted in responsibility and inclusion, always placing national interest within a wider humanitarian framework. These initiatives have helped India shape a new global order while safeguarding its sovereignty and amplifying its strategic voice. (ANI)
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India's global footprint: Bold initiatives that fuse ambition with action
Over the last ten years, India's global footprint has expanded thereby ensuring India's voice resonating across global platforms. From the presidency at the G20 Summit, to initiatives such as the Vaccine Maitri program, in the last 11 years, India has emerged as a global leader through impactful initiatives that blend vision with execution. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Over the last ten years, India 's global footprint has expanded thereby ensuring India's voice resonating across global platforms. From the presidency at the G20 Summit, to initiatives such as the Vaccine Maitri program, in the last 11 years, India has emerged as a global leader through impactful initiatives that blend vision with presidency of the G20 spotlighted the Global South and delivered concrete outcomes, including the launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance. Whether through diplomacy, humanitarian aid, or strategic defence, India has crafted a new narrative of influence and the last 11 years, India has stepped up as a global leader through impactful initiatives that blend vision with execution. This is reflected across areas such as climate change, energy transition, public health or artificial intelligence. India shows that it has driven conversations and crafted coalitions that put the nation's priorities at the centre of global discoursePrime Minister Narendra Modi 's leadership has anchored these efforts in responsibility and inclusivity, ensuring India's voice resonates across global global leadership prowess of India was reflected during the G20 presidency, where a major highlight was the unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration, despite deep divides on global issues like the Ukraine conflict. This achievement underscored India's growing stature as a consensus-builder and its ability to lead amid global notable foreign policy outcomes have been India co-chairing the AI Action Summit in Paris in 2024, Vaccine Maitri initiative sunder which India supplied over 30.12 crore vaccine doses to 99 countries and 2 UN bodies. This bolstered India as a reliable partner for global health and a compassionate voice from the global intiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, engagement with the Global south through intiatives such as the MAHASAGAR Doctrine, global partnerships reflected in multi and plurilateral forums such as BRICS, QUAD, G20 have resulted in conclusion of IMEC Corridor agreement, and the formation of the Global Biofuels India's global diplomatic presence, since 2014-2024, India has opened 39 new embassies and consulates, bringing the total number to the recent past, relief and evacuation efforts by the government stand testimony to the idea of "nation first" major evacuation missions include, Vande Bharat Mission (2020-22); Operation Devi Shakti, Afghanistan (2021), Operation Ganga, Ukraine (2022); Operation Kaveri , Sudan (2023) and Operation Ajay, Israel amongst PM Modi, India's approach has been rooted in responsibility and inclusion, always placing national interest within a wider humanitarian framework. These initiatives have helped India shape a new global order while safeguarding its sovereignty and amplifying its strategic voice.
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Business
- India Gazette
India's global footprint: Bold initiatives that fuse ambition with action
New Delhi [India], June 19 (ANI): Over the last ten years, India's global footprint has expanded thereby ensuring India's voice resonating across global platforms. From the presidency at the G20 Summit, to initiatives such as the Vaccine Maitri program, in the last 11 years, India has emerged as a global leader through impactful initiatives that blend vision with execution. India's presidency of the G20 spotlighted the Global South and delivered concrete outcomes, including the launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance. Whether through diplomacy, humanitarian aid, or strategic defence, India has crafted a new narrative of influence and self-reliance. In the last 11 years, India has stepped up as a global leader through impactful initiatives that blend vision with execution. This is reflected across areas such as climate change, energy transition, public health or artificial intelligence. India shows that it has driven conversations and crafted coalitions that put the nation's priorities at the centre of global discourse Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership has anchored these efforts in responsibility and inclusivity, ensuring India's voice resonates across global platforms. The global leadership prowess of India was reflected during the G20 presidency, where a major highlight was the unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration, despite deep divides on global issues like the Ukraine conflict. This achievement underscored India's growing stature as a consensus-builder and its ability to lead amid global uncertainty. Several notable foreign policy outcomes have been India co-chairing the AI Action Summit in Paris in 2024, Vaccine Maitri initiative sunder which India supplied over 30.12 crore vaccine doses to 99 countries and 2 UN bodies. This bolstered India as a reliable partner for global health and a compassionate voice from the global south. Other intiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, engagement with the Global south through intiatives such as the MAHASAGAR Doctrine, global partnerships reflected in multi and plurilateral forums such as BRICS, QUAD, G20 have resulted in conclusion of IMEC Corridor agreement, and the formation of the Global Biofuels Alliance. Expanding India's global diplomatic presence, since 2014-2024, India has opened 39 new embassies and consulates, bringing the total number to 219. In the recent past, relief and evacuation efforts by the government stand testimony to the idea of 'nation first' policy. Some major evacuation missions include, Vande Bharat Mission (2020-22); Operation Devi Shakti, Afghanistan (2021), Operation Ganga, Ukraine (2022); Operation Kaveri , Sudan (2023) and Operation Ajay, Israel amongst others. Under PM Modi, India's approach has been rooted in responsibility and inclusion, always placing national interest within a wider humanitarian framework. These initiatives have helped India shape a new global order while safeguarding its sovereignty and amplifying its strategic voice. (ANI)
