Economy / The Times of India
UAE Economy Minister Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri has denounced deepfake videos falsely portraying him endorsing investment schemes, calling them dangerous and entirely fabricated. Speaking at Gitex Global 2025, he urged the public to trust only official sources and highlighted the urgent need for AI-driven deepfake detection tools to protect digital identities in an increasingly manipulated online world.
Niti Aayog urges a swift upgrade and expansion of India's fishing fleet, coupled with improved market access, to bolster the nation's blue economy. The think-tank also advocates for enhanced monitoring and capacity building in fisheries, emphasizing sustainable practices and addressing infrastructure needs to unlock the vast potential of India's maritime resources and boost exports.
Karnataka aims to become a $20 billion quantum economy by 2035, with Bengaluru as a global hub. The state is investing heavily in research infrastructure and talent, including a Quantum Research Park at IISc. Plans for a dedicated 'Q-City' are underway to foster innovation from lab to market, inviting global collaboration.
India's government capital spending is projected to remain strong. For FY26, it is expected to be around 5% of GDP. This follows robust public capital expenditure in the current fiscal year. State governments are also increasing their spending. This sustained focus on capital investment signals positive economic growth for the nation.
An Air India flight from Vienna to New Delhi was diverted to Dubai due to a suspected technical issue, landing safely and departing after necessary checks. This follows another incident on October 4 where an Air India flight from Amritsar to Birmingham deployed its Ram Air Turbine during landing, with all systems functioning normally and no injuries reported.
The Delhi High Court has modified an order regarding Patanjali Ayurved's advertisement for its chyawanprash. Patanjali can now use the phrase why settle for ordinary Chyawanprash, but must remove the phrase made with 40 herbs deemed disparaging to Dabur. The court noted that the remaining statement is permissible puffery and unlikely to deter consumers from buying Dabur Chyawanprash.
Uttar Pradesh is accelerating its goal to become a $1 trillion economy by unlocking land for investors and building world-class infrastructure. A high-level workshop addressed fast-tracking land allotment and resolving acquisition hurdles. Officials reviewed investment leads worth over Rs 1.68 lakh crore and are working to operationalize vacant industrial plots, aiming to boost investor confidence and create jobs.
The housing and urban affairs ministry has launched a unified portal to create a nationwide database of real estate projects, aiming to empower homebuyers with comprehensive information. During a RERA Central Advisory Council meeting, concerns were raised about Maharashtra's proposed separate law for redevelopment projects, fearing it would undermine RERA's uniformity.
S Jaishankar announced India's keenness to finalize the FTA negotiations with the European Union soon. During discussions with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul, Jaishankar highlighted the potential for collaboration in green hydrogen and welcomed German interest in the semiconductor sector.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan refuted Donald Trump's dead economy remark, citing India's 7.8% GDP growth in April-June. BJP leaders criticized Rahul Gandhi for supporting Trump's statement, highlighting the strong economic figures as evidence of India's progress under Prime Minister Modi's leadership towards becoming a developed and self-reliant nation.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh criticized the US President's tariff hikes on Indian imports, suggesting that some global powers are attempting to hinder India's economic progress due to jealousy over its rapid growth. Despite these challenges, Singh asserted India's unstoppable rise as a major global power, highlighting the country's increasing defence exports as a sign of resilience and strength.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and India's ambassador J.P. Singh convened to explore enhanced collaboration, emphasizing security and economic ties. This meeting occurs as both nations navigate tariffs imposed by the US, with India facing levies due to Russian oil purchases and Israel dealing with a 15% tariff on US imports.
Shashi Tharoor declined to comment on Rahul Gandhi's agreement with Donald Trump's assessment of the Indian economy. Tharoor emphasized the importance of maintaining strong economic ties with the US, highlighting India's significant exports. He urged support for negotiators to secure a fair deal for India and advocated for exploring alternative export regions.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized Rahul Gandhi for echoing Donald Trump's dead economy remarks, deeming it an anti-India stance. Rijiju urged Gandhi to act with the dignity expected of an opposition leader, rather than attacking the government. Gandhi had listed reasons for India's economic decline, blaming Modi's policies and alleging favoritism towards Adani.
Shashi Tharoor contradicted Rahul Gandhi's agreement with Donald Trump's assessment of the Indian economy. While Rahul Gandhi claimed PM Modi had killed the economy, Tharoor stated that this was not the case. Trump had suggested India and Russia could ake their dead economies down together, a statement Rahul Gandhi supported.
Amidst Rahul Gandhi's endorsement of Trump's dead economy remark, Congress leaders like Rajeev Shukla and Shashi Tharoor offered differing perspectives. Shukla refuted Trump's assessment, emphasizing India's economic strength and past reforms. Tharoor viewed US tariffs as a potential bargaining tactic during ongoing trade negotiations, urging support for negotiators while acknowledging potential damage to exports if a favorable deal isn't reached.
Piyush Goyal affirmed India's trade stance after US tariffs. A special court acquitted all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. A Chhattisgarh trafficking victim claimed Bajrang Dal coerced her statement. An SIT unearthed skeletal remains in Dharmasthala mass-burial probe. Myanmar's junta ended emergency rule and scheduled December elections amid opposition boycott. These are the key developments.
A public disagreement erupted within the Congress party after Rahul Gandhi supported Donald Trump's assertion that the Indian economy is dead. Rajeev Shukla, a fellow Congress MP, countered, affirming the economy's robustness and citing contributions from past governments. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also dismissed Trump's statement, highlighting India's position as a top-five global economy.
Rahul Gandhi, echoing Donald Trump's assessment, declared the Indian economy dead, citing the Modi administration's policies. He blamed the Adani-Modi partnership, demonetization, flawed GST, and the failure of 'Assemble in India' for the economic decline. Trump criticized India's high tariffs and suggested India and Russia could face economic downturns together.
Vikram Doraiswami, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, defended India's oil purchases from Russia. He cited long-standing security ties and energy needs. Doraiswami addressed concerns about a potential India-Russia-China pact. He clarified it was a past trilateral meeting format for security coordination. He emphasized India's desire for peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.
Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami defended India's oil imports from Russia, highlighting the nation's position as the third-largest energy consumer importing over 80% of its needs. He questioned the feasibility of halting the economy and pointed out the hypocrisy of Western nations buying other resources from countries they restrict India from trading with.
Assam's dairy sector receives a boost with a new government subsidy of Rs 5 per litre for dairy farmers, launched by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. This initiative aims to encourage higher milk production, improve farmer earnings, and stimulate a rural dairy revolution.
The Department of Posts is planning to commercially develop its prime real estate holdings to boost revenue. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that the initiative aims to transform the 1.6 lakh post office network into a profit center. The department is currently assessing its properties, verifying title papers, and identifying potential development sites before engaging a developer.