In a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured that India will continue to provide humanitarian aid to Kyiv and support efforts to restore peace in Ukraine.
“Had a good conversation with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on strengthening the India-Ukraine partnership. He expressed India’s consistent support for all efforts to establish peace and bring an early end to the ongoing conflict. India will continue to provide humanitarian assistance, guided by our people-centered approach,” Modi wrote on the social networking site X.
India imported $6.15 billion worth of gold in February 2023, according to the country’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
This is 2.3 times more than in February last year, 3.2 times more than in January this year and in general about twice the traditional average monthly levels.
That said, India Bullion and Jewellers Association president Prithviraj Kothari predicts that imports may not be significant in March due to record high gold prices. “Consumers cannot digest the current price level. If prices remain this high, it will affect demand in the current wedding season,” he told Reuters. – It makes no sense for banks and refiners to import.”
In January-February, India’s gold imports totaled $8.06 billion, 2.4 times the result of the corresponding period last year.
By the end of 2023, India imported almost 744 tons of gold worth $42.58 billion. In physical terms, the volume increased by 4%, in value terms – by 16%.
India is one of the largest consumers of gold in the world, practically not producing it itself.
Earlier, the analytical center Experts Club presented an overview of world economies over the past decades. More video analysis is available here – https://youtu.be/w5fF_GYyrIc?si=vsiB0zGYh0NI2tu0
Polling stations in India, the world’s largest democracy, will open on April 19, CNN reported Saturday, citing the election commissioner.
An estimated 960 million people in the country of 1.4 billion are eligible to vote in the widely expected election, which will take a month to complete. Voting will take place in seven phases across the country and will conclude on June 1. Indians will vote for 543 seats in the 545-seat lower house of parliament, called the Lok Sabha, with the other two seats in the chamber appointed by the president.
All votes – from the country’s 28 states and eight union territories – will be counted on June 4, the commission said at a news conference in New Delhi. According to the Election Commission, 968.8 million people have registered to vote in the 2024 elections, up 6 percent from 2019.
Current Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (People’s Party of India, BJP) party is expected to gain another five years in power, governing an India that has become increasingly polarized along religious lines.
Under Modi’s leadership, India is poised to become a 21st-century power as its economy grows rapidly. But the populist leader, analysts say, has tightened his grip on the country’s democratic institutions, something not seen since the 1970s under Indira Gandhi’s iron-fisted rule. Minorities feel persecuted by the BJP’s Hindu-nationalist policies, and dissent is suppressed.
Modi is opposed by the main opposition Indian National Congress, which has ruled the country for 77 years since independence and last year formed an alliance with other parties. The Indian National Inclusive Development Alliance, or INDIA, was an important step for the opposition as it tries to regain national prominence. But cracks have already appeared in the alliance and it has yet to nominate a candidate for prime minister, lacking anyone with the stardom and appeal of Modi.
The prime minister’s calendar last year included diplomatic trips to Australia and the United States, where he appeared as a statesman cementing the country as a modern world power.
In August, India made history by soft landing a rover on the moon, becoming the fourth country to do so. A few weeks later, it launched its first spacecraft designed to study the Sun.
In September, India hosted the Group of 20 (G20), giving New Delhi an opportunity to extend its leadership beyond the country’s borders at a time of growing political instability.
In January this year, Modi gave an unofficial kick-start to his election campaign by inaugurating the controversial Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, a Hindu temple in the holy city of Ayodhya that was built on the site of the demolished Babri mosque.
Modi’s BJP won 303 seats in Parliament in 2019, crossing the 272-seat threshold required for an absolute majority and dealing a humiliating blow to the Congress party. Earlier, think tank Experts Club presented an analysis on the most important elections in countries around the world in 2024, more video analysis is available here -.
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held a meeting with India’s Ambassador to Ukraine Harsh Kumar Jain, during which the interlocutors discussed areas of further cooperation, particularly in the issue of establishing a just peace in Ukraine, the Ukrainian presidential website reported on Thursday.
“The Head of the Office of the President highly appreciated the participation of Deputy National Security Advisor to Indian Prime Minister Vikram Misri in the fourth meeting of national security advisors and political advisors of the leaders of states in Davos on the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula,” the report said.
The Head of the Ukrainian Head of State’s Office informed the Ambassador about the preparation of the first Global Peace Summit in Switzerland at the level of state leaders and noted the importance of India’s involvement in this process together with other partners of Ukraine, in particular with the G7 countries and the Global South.
“We stand on the position of honest, open consultations, because we are set for decisions taking into account the recommendations of partners, in particular, yours. The peace summit is very important for us. We will be happy to see the representative of India,” Yermak said.
Andriy Yermak, Harsh Kumar Jain, INDIA, Office of the President, UKRAINE
Ambassador Shri Harsh Kumar Jain handed over the 16th consignment of humanitarian aid from India, comprising diagnostic medical equipment, including a Portable X-Ray Machine, C-Arm Fluoroscope X-Ray Machine, Electro Hydraulic Operation Table, Colour Doppler Ultrasound System, and Slim – 50 Low end Multipara Monitor, etc.
The aid was provided to “Sumy Oblast Clinical Hospital” and “Krolevets City Council Hospital” on the request from Ministry of Health, Ukraine.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador stated that India accords high priority to providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine, during this difficult time, keeping in line with the human centric approach of the Government of India, a central tenet of India’s national beliefs and values, which perceive the whole world as one family.
He reiterated Government of India’s commitment to continue to provide humanitarian support to the people of Ukraine as conveyed by India’s Prime Minister H.E. Shri Narendra Modi to President of Ukraine H.E. Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyyduring their meeting in Hiroshima in May 2023.
Government of India has previously provided 15 consignments of humanitarian aid to Ukraine and its neighboring countries as well as financial assistance to Kyiv Gymnasium of Oriental Language No. I for its project of reconstruction, remodeling and refurbishment of some of the rooms and the Ukraine-India Association for its program aimed at restoration of psychological health of youth and children.
Ambassador Shri Harsh Kumar Jain handed over the 15th consignment of humanitarian aid from the Government and people of India, comprising ten 30 KVA generators, to Ms. Nataliya Lipska, Director of the “Kryla Nadiyi” Charitable Fund, in the presence of H.E. Mr. Maksym Kozytskyy, Head of the Lviv Regional State Administration, at the Lviv State Lyceum, on 19 January 2024.
The aid was provided at the request of Lviv Regional State Administration. Mr. Kozytskyy thanked the Government and people of India, on behalf of the people of the region, for responding to his request. He informed that the generators will be provided to eight educational institutions in the region to support their educational process.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador stated that India accords high priority to providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine, during this difficult time, keeping in line with the human centric approach of the Government of India, a central tenet of India’s national beliefs and values, which perceive the whole world as one family.
He reiterated Government of India’s commitment to continue to provide humanitarian support to the people of Ukraine as conveyed by India’s Prime Minister H.E. Shri Narendra Modi to President of Ukraine H.E. Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting in Hiroshima in May 2023.
Government of India has previously provided 14 consignments of humanitarian aid to Ukraine and its neighboring countries as well as financial assistance to Kyiv Gymnasium of Oriental Language No. 1 for its project of reconstruction, remodeling and refurbishment of some of the rooms and Ukraine-India Association for its program aimed at restoration of psychological health of youth and children.
