Gold, silver import duty raised to 15% in bid to secure forex

To Preserve foreign exchange, the government Wednesday hiked the customs duty on gold and silver imports from 5% to 10%, and Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) from 1% to 5%, taking the total effective import duty to 15%.

'Constitution entrusts religious reform to legislature not courts'

The Constitution "did not create a secular court as the reformatory overlord of the religious traditions of 1.4 billion citizens" and entrusted the mechanism of religious reform to the legislature "to be exercised at the pace at which a democratic society arrives at consensus", the Centre told the Supreme Court on Wednesday, pitching for denomination status for devotees of the Sabarimala temple deity Lord Ayyappa.

At Delhi's lone wildlife sanctuary, one invasive tree covers 63.48% of landscape

At Asola Bhatti, Delhi's lone wildlife sanctuary, the threat to the forest is also green. Prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India, a 10-year management plan for Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary has found that Prosopis Juliflora alone covers 63.48% of the landscape, making the invasive tree one of the biggest ecological pressures on the Aravalli habitat.

An invasive tree is a non-native species that spreads rapidly and causes environmental health harm, often by disrupting ecosystems and displacing native plants.

Amid West Asia crisis, Centre bans sugar exports until Sep 30

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) late on Wednesday prohibited export of raw, white and refined sugar with immediate effect until September 30 amid inflation and future supply-related concerns in the backdrop of the ongoing West Asia conflict. The prohibition will not apply to sugar exports to the European Union and the US under the preferential quota, the notification said.

MSP for kharif crops hiked

The Centre on Wednesday announced a hike in the minimum support prices (MSP) for 14 kharif crops for marketing season 2026-27, with jowar seeing the highest increase in percentage terms, while moong recording the lowest.

UCC draft Bill to be tabled in Assam House on May 26

A day after being sworn in, the new Assam Cabinet in its first meeting Wednesday announced to table a proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) draft Bill before the newly elected state Assembly on May 26, besides rolling out a slew of austerity measures. 

India, UAE may sign pacts on strategic petroleum reserves, LPG during PM visit

At a time when the Indian government is adopting austerity measures amid the looming energy crisis due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, India and the UAE are likely to sign two pacts in the areas of "LPG and Strategic Petroleum Reserves" during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on May 15, sources said on Wednesday. 

Tehran will welcome diplomatic initiative from India: Iran Dy FM

For the first time since Pakistan emerged as a mediator between the US and Iran amid the war in West Asia, Tehran has conveyed to New Delhi that if India comes up with a "diplomatic initiative", the Iranian government will "welcome and work on it". Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday that he has conveyed the same to MEA Secretary (West) Siby George at their bilateral meeting.

How farm exports have grown despite US tariffs

India's farm exports grew 2.3% year-on-year in 2025-26 (April-March), despite the steep tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump's administration. Farm produce shipments were valued at $53.1 billion during the last financial year, up from $52 billion in 2024-25 and marginally below the all-time-high of $53.2 billion for 2022-23.

Agricultural exports grew faster than overall merchandise exports, which rose 0.9% year-on-year to $441.7 billion in 2025-26. This overall export figure was also below the 2022-23 peak of $451.1 billion. 

Close cervical cancer gap, focus on equity

A modelling study in The Lancet has estimated that India can prevent more than 10 million cervical cancer cases over the next century if it achieves the WHO'star-gets on HPV vaccination - 90 per cent of girls to be vaccinated by age 15; 70 per cent of women to be screened at ages 30 and above; and 90 per cent of patients to receive treatment. The scale of that possibility is extraordinary. But so is the scale of the challenge. India accounts for one of the world's heaviest cervical-cancer burdens, with more than 1.2 lakh new cases and roughly 80,000 deaths each year. 

At India-Nordic Summit, turn historical sambandh into future partnership

At a time when the turbulence of the Trumpian era has unsettled global norms, India and the Nordic countries share a common interest in defending world order and stability. 

India's Africa policy needs continuity

The Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS IV), scheduled for May 28-31, is a moment to rethink how India engages Africa in a rapidly changing world, and find ways to keep the relationship anchored in, but not dependent on, a summit.

IAFS IV was due in 2020, but the Covid pandemic, followed by a period of intense global diplomatic churn, resulted in a prolonged pause. Africa's global partnerships have deepened and diversified since. The resumption must therefore contend with a far more competitive landscape. 

Behind India's LNG import basket recast amid Qatar, UAE supply loss

The West Asia war has upended the regular flow of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India from its major suppliers like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), leading to a scramble for LNG cargoes from alternate geographies and a recasting of New Delhi's natural gas import basket.

Supplies from Qatar and UAE pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked since the start of the US-Iran war. 

Cabinet gives nod to Rs 37,500-cr scheme for coal gasification

The Union Cabinet Wednesday approved a new Rs 37,500 crore scheme to promote conversion of coal and lignite into synthesis gas (syngas) through the gasification process, a move through which the Centre intends to reduce dependence on imports of LNG, urea, ammonia, and methanol.