Global technology giant Foxconn has expressed its intention to establish four to five semiconductor fabrication lines in India, the Economic Times reported on Tuesday. Foxconn has informed the ministry of electronics and information technology about two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) it has signed with technology partners, a senior government official told the ET.

The official expressed optimism that Foxconn, being familiar with the procedures, should be able to submit the final application and make an official announcement within the next 45-60 days.

While one production line is expected to be set up in Gujarat, Foxconn may also consider other potential locations, the ET report said.

On Tuesday, Foxconn announced its intention to seek incentives under India's semiconductor manufacturing plan. This decision comes just a day after the termination of its $19.5 billion chipmaking joint venture with Vedanta.

The withdrawal from the joint venture with Indian conglomerate Vedanta was explained by Foxconn as a mutual recognition that the project was not progressing at the desired pace. Foxconn cited "challenging gaps" that could not be easily overcome but emphasized that the decision was not negative.

Foxconn is currently engaged in talks with various local and international partners to establish semiconductor manufacturing facilities in India. The focus would be on utilizing mature chip manufacturing technology for products such as electric vehicles (EVs). The identities of the potential partners remain confidential.

Despite the termination of the joint venture, Foxconn reassured that it will continue to operate in India and seek alternative partnerships.

The Indian semiconductor market is expected to reach a value of $63 billion by 2026, providing significant growth opportunities.

Amidst the ongoing conflict in Manipur, Colonel (retd.) Hunny Bakshi has revealed how illegal immigration, narco-terrorism and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSA) contributed to the crisis in the North-eastern State.

During an interview with journalist Arihant of Vaad, the former Commanding officer of the Technical Support Division (TSD) of the Indian Army thanked the Naga groups living in Manipur for not being a party to the violence.

“Nagas and Meiteis have a long history of conflict, but they restrained themselves this time. Else the situation would have been much worse…The conflict between tribal groups is not a new phenomenon in Manipur but has been around for a long time,” the retired Colonel conceded.

While highlighting one instance of such violence, he said that Nagas set a village of Kukis on fire in 1993-1994. Colonel (retd.) Hunny Bakshi emphasised that the lifting of AFSPA within the jurisdiction of 19 police stations by the Union Home Ministry between 2022-2023 has exacerbated the situation.

संवाद # 114: Col. Hunny Bakshi (@colhunnybakshi), who served in the North East, on why Manipur is burning, why Nagas should be appreciated, role of AFSPA removal, illegal immigrants, China, poppy cultivation behind current crisis, Church factor & more.https://t.co/U5yy9yhCvi

• Vaad (@VaadClips) July 10, 2023

“Armed Forces Special Powers Act does not imply that the security personnel can shoot anyone. It’s a protection granted to the armed forces. Remember, the army is a rigid institution. Anyone involved in wrongdoing will be punished,” he added.

He stated that the revocation took place following pressure from the vested interests within the civil society. Colonel (retd.) Hunny Bakshi noted that the security forces now do not have ‘legal protection’ to operate in the interests of the nation.

“They cannot fire a bullet without the magistrate’s order. Without AFSPA, the situation in Manipur cannot be improved,” he said. Hunny Bakshi said that local magistrates, who live amidst these armed groups, will not easily sign orders that allow the army to fire and conduct their operations easily.

Colonel Bakshi recounted the time when army personnel had to let go of 12 terrorists after being gheraoed by a mob of women. “The same civil society, which wanted the rollback of AFSPA but crying today about the inaction of the army, must demand the reinstatement of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the State,” he added.

Role of China, Myanmar in the Manipur Conflict

“There are 55-56 separatist, armed pressure groups operating within Manipur. Where did they get their arms and ammunition? Big Brother, China, is sitting on top. Do you think they will let us live in peace?” he stated about the involvement of anti-India forces in the conflict.

He reiterated, “You catch ten people but more than 10 separatists are created. There has been no stoppage in the influx of weapons from China. The country is not going to let us live in peace.”

Colonel (retd.) Hunny Bakshi also talked about the influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar, which the State government wanted to stop in all earnest. He said that illegal weapons in Myanmar, procured indirectly from China, are making it into Manipur.

He pointed out how the BJP government in Manipur had warned about the menace of illegal immigration to the hilly areas of the State.

How locals help armed pressure groups

Colonel Bakshi pointed out how the ethnic groups have their organisations, which work in tandem to alert about the army presence in villages.

“Women start beating on utensils and provide support to armed groups. The planning of the Indian army has been foiled several times in this manner…The situation in Manipur is their own making. AFSA has to be implemented again to control the situation,” he added.

Women activists in #Manipur are deliberately blocking routes and interfering in Operations of Security Forces. Such unwarranted interference is detrimental to the timely response by Security Forces during critical situations to save lives and property. 🔴 Indian Army appeals to… pic.twitter.com/Md9nw6h7Fx

• SpearCorps.IndianArmy (@Spearcorps) June 26, 2023

On June 26 this year, the Indian Army informed that women activists in Manipur were interfering with the operation of the security forces and helping armed Meitei insurgents to flee.

The official Twitter handle of the ‘Spear Corps’ (a formation of Indian Army) shared a video wherein a mob of such activists were seen surrounding Indian army personnel. The incident took place in Itham in Manipur, on June 24, 2023.

The said video also exposed how roads were being dug up to delay the movement of the Indian security forces to an Assam Rifles base. The women activists were also seen accompanying the armed rebels in vehicles and even ambulances under the pretext of peaceful protests in the State.

Menace of poppy cultivation, narco-terrorism and the role of Churches

On being asked about poppy cultivation, Colonel (retd.) Bakshi said, “Narcotics is involved where terrorism is present. It’s a commonly used word, ‘narco-terrorism’. Terrorist groups operating in the area collect hafta (taxes) from businessmen and government employees.”

“Easy money is narcotics…These two things (hafta collection and poppy cultivation) are running parallel. These armed groups are now used to the easy money. How will they let it go?” he emphasised.

The retired Colonel rubbished the argument that ‘ST reservation’ for Meiteis led to the conflict. “Reservation is just like a smoke screen. If Meiteis get reservation, then what’s the issue? They are, after all, from that area only. Just that they live in plains, and you (Kukis) live in the hills,” he added.

Lt. Colonel Bakshi refused to categorise the conflict as a ‘Hindu-Christian’ conflict but pointed out that the influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar with weapons is the primary contributing factor. He also touched upon the influence of the Church, for instance, the growing influence of the Church of North America.

Colonel Hunny Bakshi on solving the Manipur crisis

On being asked whether reorganisation of the States would solve the conflict, he said, “How many States will you create? There are tribes within tribes. We are living in a global village at this time…Division of this country along linguistic and ethnic lines was a mistake.”

The former Commanding officer of the TSD said, “The government is dealing with the situation in 3 ways – talks with such groups, ceasefire and suspension of operations.”

“Community leaders must come forward to stop this madness. The army can only act as a referee…Headhunting is not a new phenomenon there,” he added. Colonel (retd.) Bakshi suggested that retired army personnel from the conflict-torn areas must be roped in by the government to mediate the sensitive situation.

He also pointed out that violent clashes between tribes have been a ‘normal thing’, including the brutalities that we are currently witnessing in the North-eastern State of Manipur.

“Even if a single person is killed, human life is lost. This mindless violence must stop. Have Faith in your army. They are governed by democratic laws,” the retired Colonel concluded.

In an alarming incident in Rajkot, a cricket coach named Mehboob Bukhari has been arrested on charges of raping a Hindu girl, who has now gone missing. The accused, Mehboob, is accused of subjecting the victim to prolonged sexual abuse starting from her teenage years.

According to reports, Mehboob not only forcibly converted the girl but also changed her name to Nazneen. The police have taken swift action following the revelation, apprehending the accused and launching an intensive search operation to locate the girl missing since 26th June 2023. The police are also checking for a love jihad angle in this case.

The victim girl hails from a family originally from Talaja and settled in Rajkot for the last few years. She studied at Kundaliya College in Rajkot. The victim had joined Mehboob Bukhari’s coaching academy at a young age with a dream of becoming a cricketer. Mehboob Bukhari exploited the minor girl sexually under the guise of ‘love’. The victim’s family had lodged a complaint against Mehboob Bukhari after she went missing from home on 26th June 2023.

Hindu girl sexually exploited, converted by her cricket coach

The victim’s family said in the complaint, “Our daughter is studying at Kundaliya College. Since she was fond of cricket since childhood, we contacted Mehboob Bukhari, who runs a cricket coaching class in the city. When she was 17, we sent her to this cricket coaching academy. Instead of teaching her cricket there, Mehboob Bukhari trapped the minor daughter in a love trap and brainwashed her. Mehboob had also changed her name to Nazneen. Our daughter, who used to chant Jai Dwarikadhish, started offering namaz and shouting slogans of Allahu Akbar.”

Accused Mehboob said ‘I have been raping your daughter since she was 17, do whatever you can.’

According to the father of the victim Hindu girl, his daughter is now 21 years old. When she was at home, she also started going to the mosque and offering namaz. The family tried to convince her several times but she was under so much pressure from the accused Bukhari that she used to say, “My life has been ruined.”

When the girl’s father went to talk to Mehboob, he threatened to break his hands and legs and kill him. According to him, Mehboob said, “I have been raping your daughter since she was 17, do whatever you can.” Apart from this, the girl’s father said that the family of the accused was also threatening them.

The victim girl used to say, ‘My life has been ruined.’

According to the family of the victim girl raped by cricket coach Mehboob in Rajkot, the girl would often say, “My life is ruined now. If I marry someone else, Mehboob will kill me and if I stay with Mehboob, he will make my life hell. My career as a cricketer has also been finished.” According to the family, due to Mehboob’s instigation and threat, the victim stole gold ornaments worth Rs 1.5 lakh from the house and gave it to Mehboob. She also stole the cash and gave it to the cricket coach.

The college management informed the police commissioner about the entire matter after the Hindu girl’s father narrated the whole incident to the college management. The police have started an investigation from the angle of love jihad in this case. Mehboob has been arrested by the police and his interrogation is underway. On the other hand, the police have also launched a search operation to trace the missing girl.

A man was apprehended by Shivajinagar police in Bengaluru after he made a hoax call claiming that a bomb had been planted in a Mosque in the area. The accused has been identified as Syed Qazi Mohammad Anwarullah Khan, a 37-year-old native of Maharashtra.

It turns out that the incident happened when Syed arrived in Bengaluru on July 5 and went to a nearby mosque to begin collecting donations for a madrasa from unknown individuals.

According to the police, the arrested person had asked for permission to stay the night at the Azam mosque near Russell Market in the Shivajinagar area of Bengaluru after collecting the donations, but was refused.

Furious Anwar boarded the bus and traveled to Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. He then dialed the emergency telephone number 122 after passing Devanahalli and reported that terrorists had placed a bomb in the mosque.

The call created panic and tension in the area. The police along with the bomb disposal squad and dog squad rushed to the spot to investigate the so-called bomb threat. However, later it was found that the call was a hoax. The accused was nabbed from Kurnool later.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Zone), Bheemashankar Guled confirmed the incident to the media and said, “The accused has been remanded to 14 days judicial custody. During the interrogation, we got to know that the accused was collecting funds in the name of a madrasa outside a mosque from the devotees. He asked permission to sleep in the mosque, but the security denied him permission. So, enraged by this he made a hoax call. We got to know about this person from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh police.”

The DCP also said that the Shivajinagar police registered a suo-motu case in this regard after obtaining permission from the court. The accused during the interrogation confessed that he had made a hoax call after he was denied permission to sleep inside the mosque.

The accused is said to have obtained a BSc degree but wasn’t employed. He used to visit mosques and hound people for cash in order to support his own needs.

On Monday (July 10), a student of Std 10 committed suicide after she was slapped, humiliated and expelled from St. Xavier’s School for sporting a bindi. The incident took place in the Teltulmari neighbourhood in the Dhanbad city of Jharkhand.

The 17-year-old reportedly went to the convent school, wearing a bindi on her forehead. Identified as Usha Kumari, she was humiliated by a teacher during the school assembly. She was also slapped twice in full public display.

This was even though the student removed the bindi as soon as she saw the teacher. The underage girl was taken to the principal’s office, who expelled her from the school.

Jharkhand | A class 10 student died by suicide allegedly after being slapped by a teacher for coming to school with a 'bindi' on her forehead

We received information that a student has died by suicide. A suicide note has been recovered in which she alleged that she was tortured… pic.twitter.com/i5du989GKT

-ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2023

Thereafter, the girl returned home and committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling of her room on Monday (July 10) at 11 am. She also left a suicide note in her school uniform, holding the teacher and school principal responsible for her death.

A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at the Tetulmari Police Station based on the complaint of the family members. The accused teacher was arrested by the police and a probe was initiated into the matter.

While speaking about the matter, DSP (Baghmara) Nishra Murmu said, “A class 10 student of St Xavier’s School in Tetulmari committed suicide on Monday leaving a suicide note in which she has held the principal and teacher responsible for her death.”

Villagers block road, protest outside St. Xavier’s school On Tuesday (July 11), the villagers and the family members of the deceased girl blocked a road and also protested outside the gate of St. Xavier’s School.

The victim’s mother said, “My daughter removed the bindi as soon as she saw the teacher. But the teacher slapped her twice in front of the assembly. I explained everything to the principal, but he did not listen and expelled my daughter.”

“Embarrassed by being slapped by the teacher in public during assembly, my daughter committed suicide after returning from school by hanging from the ceiling in her room,” she added.

“I want justice and want everyone, who is named in the suicide note, to get arrested” the victim’s mother reiterated. The teacher defended the decision to slap the student and claimed that the 17-year-old did not respond ‘politely.’

NCPCR takes cognisance of the matter

While taking cognisance of the matter, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said, “In Jharkhand’s Dhanbad, a girl student has been reported to have committed suicide after being thrashed for going to school wearing a bindi.”

झारखंड के धनबाद में स्कूल में बिंदी लगाकर जाने पर पिटाई किए जाने से आहत हो कर एक छात्रा के आत्महत्या किए जाने की सूचना मिली है। मामले का संज्ञान लिया जा रहा है, जाँच के लिए @NCPCR_ की टीम धनबाद जाएगी।

-प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) July 11, 2023

He added, “The cognisance of the matter is being taken, the team of @NCPCR_ will go to Dhanbad for investigation.”

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for the launch of Chandrayaan-3 on Friday. The spacecraft is loaded with more fuel, a number of fail-safe measures, and a bigger landing site than its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2. This time, ISRO is determined to land on the moon successfully. Chandrayaan-3, scheduled to be launched from Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota, will make India the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the surface of the moon after the United States, Russia and China.

According to ISRO, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft will reach the lunar orbit about a month after its launch on Friday. The lander, Vikram, and the rover, Pragyaan, are expected to land on the moon on August 23.

The Mission

The spacecraft will be launched by the LVM3 rocket from SDSC SHAR in Sriharikota. According to ISRO, the propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration to a 100 km lunar orbit, where the lander will separate and attempt a soft landing.

The propulsion module will also carry a Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload, which will study the spectral and polarimetric measurements of earth from the lunar orbit.

The Objectives

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan-2 that aims to demonstrate India's ability to safely land a spacecraft on the moon and have a rover roam the lunar surface. The rover will collect data on the composition and geology of the moon.

Additionally, it will conduct scientific experiments to study the moon's environment, including its history, geology, and potential for resources.

The Challenges

Landing on the moon is a complex and challenging task.

In July 2019, India's previous attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon, Chandrayaan-2, was met with a major setback when the Vikram lander crashed during its descent to the lunar surface.

According to ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 has been designed with more fuel, which will give it the ability to travel farther, handle dispersion, or move to an alternate landing site if necessary.

"We looked at very many failures - sensor failure, engine failure, algorithm failure, calculation failure. So, whatever be the failure we want it to land at the required speed and rate. So, there are different failure scenarios calculated and programmed inside," ISRO chief S Somanath said as quoted by news agency PTI.

The ISRO chief said that the Vikram lander has been modified to ensure that it generates power no matter how it lands. The lander has also been tested for its ability to withstand higher velocities and has additional solar panels on other surfaces.

From the Article:

Tata Group is closing in on an agreement to acquire Apple's supplier factory in India. The factory could be acquired by August and once closed this will be the first time a local company will start assembling iPhones.

According to news agency Bloomberg, Tata Group is looking to takeover a Wistron Corporation factory in Karnataka. The factory has more than 10,000 employees is valued at over $600 million and currently assembles the iPhone 14 model.

Wistron Corp. has committed to shipping $1.8 billion dollar worth of iPhones by the fiscal year ending March 2024 and triple the workforce of the factory by next year. The Bloomberg report claims that Tata Group will honour these commitments after acquiring the factory. The acquisition of the Wistron Corp factory will mean the end of the Taiwanese company's iPhone manufacturing operation in India.

Indian government has introduced various programmes in recent years to encourage manufacturing in the country. On the other hand, Apple has also been looking to diversify its iPhone production beyond China to other South Asian countries. Other major Apple suppliers, such as Foxconn Group and Pegatron Corporation, have also recently increased their production.

The production of iPhones by an Indian brand could motivate other global companies to consider manufacturing in India in order to reduce their reliance on China.

An earlier report by TrendForce had claimed that the upcoming iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models could be manufactured in India by the Tata Group. The report claimed that the Tata Group will receive smaller orders which means that the company will get only small orders for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.

It could also mean that India becomes part of the first wave of shipments for the new iPhone series that is expected to launch in September this year.

The number of pilgrims who paid obeisance to Lord Shiva in the cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas crossed the one-lakh mark on Monday as the Amarnath Yatra gained momentum after three days of inclement weather.

An official said that on Monday more than 9,000 pilgrims had a darshan of the naturally formed ice 'Lingam' till noon, taking the total number of pilgrims to the cave shrine to 1.03 lakh.

As many as 11 people -- mostly pilgrims -- have died since the yatra began on July 1 while 27 persons have sustained injuries during the arduous journey.

The yatra had to be halted for three days from Friday due to heavy rains. However, with the weather improving, the pilgrimage again returned to usual fervour and devotion.

On July 10, Monday, the Delhi police said that they have arrested a man near the Myanmar-India border over his involvement in the murder of Head Constable Ratan Lal during the anti-Hindu Delhi Riots of 2020. The accused has been identified as Mohammad Khalid, a resident of Chand Bagh in the Karawal Nagar Area.

Mohammad Khalid is the brother of Mohammad Ayaz, one of the main conspirators of the murder of Head Constable Ratan Lal. Ayaz was arrested by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell on June 21 this year.

Sharing the news of the arrest, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Singh Yadav said, “A tip-off was received that Khalid was hiding in Manipur. He was arrested near the Myanmar-India border.”

During questioning, the suspect admitted that he took part in the Chand Bagh anti-CAA/NRC rally in 2020 with his older brother Mohammad Ayaz and several friends. At a private meeting held at his home, it was resolved by everybody present to bring sticks and iron rods to block the roads, Yadav said.

As discussed, the road leading to the Jafrabad Metro Station was blocked by Muslim rioters. Then, a huge mob gathered at the Chand Bagh protest site and attempted to block the main Wazirabad road. Lal was killed and numerous other police officers were hurt when Khalid, his brother Ayaz, and other protesters started throwing stones at the police team when it attempted to stop them.

Notably, only last month, Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrested Mohammed Ayaz. Police had then said that as Ayaz was absconding, the police had kept a close watch on the close contacts of Khalid and Ayaz. The technical and manual surveillance revealed they kept changing their hideouts. At one point, they were spotted in Manipur, where efforts were made to arrest them. The Police noted Ayaz’s location in Bengaluru in the first week of June 2023 and arrested him.

Ratan Lal Murder

A crazed Muslim mob mercilessly lynched Ratan Lal while he was trying to do his duty on the main Wazirabad Road, Chand Bagh. The 42-year-old police officer lived with his family in Amrit Vihar, Burari, Delhi.

Lal belonged to Fathepur Tihwali village in Rajasthan’s Sikar district. His wife and three children survive Lal. The Sikar resident had joined the Delhi Police in the constable post in 1998. He married a Jaipur resident in 2004. Ratan Lal was posted at Gokulpuri Police Station. He lived with his family in a house in Delhi’s Burari area.

A mob attacked police officers stationed in Maujpur, Delhi’s North-East area, on February 24, 2020. Ratan Lal died from a bullet wound, according to the autopsy report. A video surfaced in March 2020 where a violent mob of rioters can be seen attacking the Delhi Police officers with stones and sticks.

The Special Investigation Team of Delhi Police had in June 2020 filed a 1,100-page charge sheet in the case of the murder of Ratan Lal and deadly attacks by rioters on IPS Amit Sharma and IPS Anuj Kumar. At least 17 accused had been named in the charge sheet. The police stated that the riots were engineered in Delhi through a conspiracy to malign the country’s image.

From the article:

The move comes less than a year after the companies announced plans to set up the facility in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat.

Some analysts say it marks a setback to the nation's technology industry goals.

However, a government minister says it will have no impact on the country's chip making ambitions.

Taiwan-headquartered Foxconn told the BBC that it will now "explore more diverse development opportunities".

The firm also said the decision was made in "mutual agreement" with Vedanta, which has assumed full ownership of the venture, but did not give details on why it withdrew from the deal.

"We will continue to strongly support the government's 'Make in India' ambitions and establish a diversity of local partnerships that meet the needs of stakeholders," Foxconn added.

New Delhi-based Vedanta said it had "lined up other partners to set up India's first [chip] foundry".

"The surprise pull-out of Foxconn is a considerable blow to India's semiconductor ambitions," Paul Triolo from global advisory firm Albright Stonebridge Group told the BBC.

"The apparent cause of the pull-out is the lack of a clear technology partner and path for the joint venture," he added. "Neither party had significant experience with developing and managing a large-scale semiconductor manufacturing operation."

However, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, India's Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, said on Twitter that Foxconn's decision had "no impact on India's semiconductor fab[rication] goals. None."

Mr Chandrasekhar added that Foxconn and Vedanta were "valued investors" in the country and "will now pursue their strategies in India independently".

The Indian government has been working on strategies to support the chipmaking industry.

Last year, it created a $10bn fund to attract more investors to the sector, in a bid to become less reliant on foreign chipmakers.

Prime Minister Modi's flagship 'Make in India' scheme, which launched in 2014, is aimed at transforming the country into a global manufacturing hub to rival China.

In recent years, several other firms have announced plans to build semiconductor factories in India.

Last month, US memory chip giant Micron said it would invest up to $825m to build a semiconductor assembly and test facility in India.

Micron said that the construction of the new facility in Gujarat will begin this year. The project is expected to directly create up to 5,000 roles, and another 15,000 jobs in the area.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/1898496

The government is working closely with startups, industry and academia to create a rapidly expanding server and IT hardware manufacturing ecosystem in India, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said in a Digital India Dialogues meet in Bengaluru.

"Our ambitions are clear — a $300-billion electronics industry and a $1-trillion digital economy by 2026. The government will act as an enabler in catalysing India’s IT hardware ecosystem that includes data centres, servers etc," he said.

"This PLI scheme for IT hardware has been carefully designed this time with inputs from the industry. India represents one of the fastest-growing consumer markets in the electronic manufacturing ecosystem as we have digitised our economy, government and public services at an unprecedented rate," he said.

The discussions were focused on stimulating ecosystem development while encouraging enterprises and startups to expand their presence in the country.

"While we welcome big foreign companies to set up their base in India, we are also enabling the industry to benefit from incentives and expand the EMS ecosystem in India," the minister said.

In May, the government approved the PLI 2.0 scheme for IT hardware with an outlay of Rs 17,000 crore, doubling the budget from the 2021 scheme. The scheme aims to encourage domestic manufacturing, attract investments, and promote the localisation of IT hardware components and sub-assemblies.

It covers laptops, tablets, all-in-one PCs, servers, and ultra-small form factor devices. In doing so, the government aims to catalyse the domestic IT hardware manufacturing ecosystem of India, thereby creating Indian champions in the IT hardware industry.

Asked whether there is any effort by the government to become a part of the electronics supply chain (advanced avionics) of aeroplane, the minister said that he expects companies like Honeywell and Garmin to start developing such advanced electronics in the country.

"I am hopeful that companies like Honeywell and Garmin will do avionics in India. They all have their back office capability centers here and they should also step up and start doing R&D here. The next generation of avionics should come from India... And we have the capability. I think a lot of this kind of innovation will come from startups," he said.

The PLI 2.0 scheme is set to run for six years and is projected to generate a significant increase in production worth Rs 3.35 lakh crore, with an expected investment of Rs 2,430 crore. It is also likely to create approximately 75,000 new direct job opportunities.

Since 2014, the electronics manufacturing industry in India has achieved a consistent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17 percent. Starting from around $16 billion the production has now surpassed the significant benchmark of $105 billion.

The proposed amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 have attracted objections on various grounds:

• ‘Dilution’ of the Supreme Court’s 1996 judgment in the Godavarman case that extended protection to wide tracts of forests, even if they were not recorded as forests

• In geographically sensitive areas within 100 km of the International Borders or the Line of Control, no forest clearance required to construct highways, hydel power projects and so on

• No Central protection for vast tracts of so-called ‘deemed forest’ (forests not officially recorded as forests) and permitting activities such as tourism, compromising their integrity

India's trade minister will hold talks in the UK on a free trade deal with Britain and meet ministers from the European Free Trade Association from July 10 to 11, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Sunday.

Trade minister Piyush Goyal will meet with his UK counterpart, Kemi Badenoch, as well as representatives from British industry, the ministry said in a statement.

The talks offer an opportunity to discuss the main priorities of a free trade agreement "with a focus on addressing trade barriers, promoting investments, and fostering greater cooperation in areas such as technology, innovation, and intellectual property rights," the statement said.

Differences have emerged between India and the UK on some key tariff lines and investment protection rules, including disagreement over concessions on duties levied by India on car and liquor imports.

Goyal will also meet ministers and officials from the European Free Trade Association, which comprises Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, to assess progress toward reaching a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement with them.

India's Sachin Meena and Pakistan's Seema Haider are looking to start a new chapter as they walk out of prison in New Delhi on a rain-soaked day after getting bail.

Seema was arrested on July 4 for illegally entering India without a visa via Nepal with her four children, all aged below seven years, while Sachin was put behind bars for sheltering the illegal immigrants.

"My husband is a Hindu, so I am a Hindu. I feel I am an Indian now," Seema told NDTV.

The couple's love story is as intriguing as a Bollywood movie. They got in touch during the Covid pandemic while playing the online game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

They fell in love on the app, which led to Seema, 30, and Sachin, 25, getting married in Nepal in March this year. This was their first meeting.

"It was such a long and gruelling journey. I was very scared too. I first went from Karachi to Dubai, where we waited for 11 hours and couldn't sleep. We then flew to Nepal, before finally taking the road to Pokhara, where I met Sachin," Seema says.

She then went back to Pakistan and Sachin returned to India. Back home, Seema, who claimed discord with her husband, sold a plot for Pakistani rupees 12 lakh and arranged flight tickets and a Nepal visa for herself and her four children.

In May she reached Nepal via Dubai and spent some time in the tourist city of Pokhara in the Himalayan nation. Then she took a bus for Delhi from Kathmandu and reached Greater Noida on May 13 with her children where Sachin had made arrangements for her to stay in a rented accommodation without disclosing her Pakistani identity, officials said.

The cross-border love story hit a dead-end as they were arrested on July 4 and put in jail. While Seema was charged with illegally entering India, Sachin was booked for sheltering the illegal immigrant.

Yesterday, Seema was granted bail and will now focus on the paperwork to make her move to India official.

Talking about her release, Seema says, "I shouted in joy when I heard the news. I had thought that I would be in jail for months."

In a video message from Saudi Arabia, Seema's husband Ghulam Haider urged the Indian government to help him reunite with his wife. However, Seema told reporters that she did not wish to go back to Ghulam Haider and claimed a threat to her life if she returns to Pakistan.

In India, the average annual salary stands at ₹18,91,085, with the most common earnings being ₹5,76,851, according to the Average Salary Survey figures as of July 2023. There is a notable difference in salaries between men and women, as men receive an average salary of ₹19,53,055, while women earn an average salary of ₹15,16,296. These figures reflect the existing gender pay gap in the country.

Average Salary Survey collects and analyses salary data from thousands of individuals from 138 countries around the world. For India, the information provided is derived from an analysis of 11,570 salary surveys.

Among various career fields, Management and Business emerges as the highest-paying profession, with an average income of ₹29,50,185. Following closely behind is the field of Law, where professionals earn an average income of ₹27,02,962.

Additionally, the level of experience plays a significant role in determining earning potential. Individuals with 20+ years of experience command an impressive salary of ₹38,15,462.

Employees with 16-20 years of experience earn a respectable salary of ₹36,50,647, showcasing the financial rewards that come with years of dedication and skill development in their respective fields.

Also, the more educated you are, the more likely you are to get a higher salary. People with doctoral degrees earn the highest salaries ( ₹27,52,407 on an average) while people below High School degrees earn ₹11,12,499 on an average.

In terms of average annual salaries in cities, Solapur emerges as the city with the highest figures, standing at ₹28,10,092, as per the Average Salary Survey. However, it is to be noted that only two people were surveyed in the city.

Mumbai, where 1,748 people were surveyed, follows closely behind with an average annual salary of ₹21,17,870, reflecting the financial opportunities available in the country's bustling financial capital.