India has significantly expanded its crude oil and gas imports from the United States in the first half of 2025. Official trade data show a 50% year-on-year increase in crude oil imports from January to June. India imported an average of 0.271 million barrels per day (mb/d) of US crude, up from 0.18 mb/d at the same time last year. The value of these imports increased significantly during the April-June quarter. US crude purchases increased by 114%, from $1.73 billion in 2024 to $3.7 billion in 2025. The surge continued into July, with shipments up 23% from June, raising the United States'
India has officially notified the export of 5,841 metric tonnes (MT) of sugar to the European Union (EU) for the 2025–26 period under the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) system. The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued a public notice confirming the allocation, which will be effective from October 2025 to September 2026. Under the TRQ system, a limited volume of goods can be exported at reduced or zero tariff rates. When the approved quota is reached, greater customs taxes apply to additional exports. Sugar exported under this quota will receive preferential tariff rates when entering
Malaysia's data centre industry is rapidly transforming into a major employment generator. According to the Asia-Pacific Data Centre Association (APDCA), the sector is expected to support 30,900 jobs per year by 2030. There will be 4,300 high-value positions in advanced fields like AI and cloud computing. The APDCA's July 24 report indicates a large multiplier effect, indicating that each direct employment creates 3.2 additional positions in supporting industries. Malaysia's digital infrastructure sector is rapidly developing, with data centre investments expected to rise 185% between 2023
According to the International Monetary Fund's most recent World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, India's economy is expected to increase by 6.4% in both FY2025-26 and FY2026-27. This marks a slight upward revision to the IMF's previous estimates, reflecting stronger global conditions. The revision is due to a more favourable external environment than was anticipated in April. For the current fiscal year, the IMF increased India's GDP growth prediction by 20 basis points to 6.4%. The FY27 projection was also increased by 10 basis points, bringing it to the same level. The IMF now anticipates
During the first half of 2025, Dubai International Airport (DXB) saw an all-time high in passenger traffic, with 46 million travellers. Despite brief interruptions in regional airspace, the airport had a 2.3% year-on-year increase, reaffirming its status as the world's busiest for international traffic. The second quarter alone accounted for 22.5 million passengers, a 3.1% rise over the previous year. April 2025 saw 8 million travellers, the most ever for that month. India remained DXB's biggest market, with 5.9 million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. The to
Nepal's foreign trade surpassed Rs2 trillion for the second consecutive year, totalling approximately US$14 billion. The remarkable surge was primarily driven by an unprecedented increase in refined edible oil exports. Refined soybean, sunflower, and palm oil exports grew by more than 1,500% over the previous fiscal year. Notably, edible oils currently account for nearly half of Nepal's total exports, amounting to Rs121.53 billion out of Rs277.03 billion. The increase is due to a surge in crude oil imports, totalling 958,901 tonnes worth Rs144.79 billion, primarily from Argentina, which ha
India's industrial production increased by 1.5% in June 2025, according to the Ministry of Statistics. This is an improvement over the 1.2% growth rate seen in May. The manufacturing sector was the primary driver of the increase, up 3.9% year-on-year in June. This sector is crucial for generating employment opportunities for engineering and university graduates nationwide. Out of 23 manufacturing industry sectors, 15 reported positive growth in June compared to the previous year. The production of basic metals (9.6%), coke and refined petroleum products (4.2%), and fabricated metal product
India is growing as a global hub for innovation-led Global Capability Centres (GCCs), with forecasts of 1,900 by 2030. According to a NASSCOM estimate, these centres will employ approximately 3 million professionals. Multinational corporations are gradually relocating their GCCs from Eastern Europe to India, owing to the country's strong STEM workforce, advanced digital infrastructure, and growing AI and R&D capabilities. Global majors like SAP, IBM, Google, Deutsche Bank, and ArcelorMittal have significantly expanded their operations in Indian cities, enhancing the country's reputatio
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday highlighted India’s growing prominence in global railway exports during his visit to Alstom’s Savli facility in Gujarat. The plant has grown into a major manufacturing base, supplying metro coaches, bogies, and propulsion systems to over a dozen countries. Vaishnaw emphasised that the rail industry's export capabilities are a direct result of the government's "Make in India" and "Make for the World" initiatives. Since 2016, India has exported over 1,000 rail cars, including 450 metro coaches produced at Savli for Australia's Queen
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again been ranked as the world's most popular democratic leader. According to the most recent Morning Consult survey, held between July 4 and 10, 2025, PM Modi received a 75% approval rating, giving him the world's highest-rated and most trusted democratic leader. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Argentine President Javier Milei followed him. In contrast, US President Donald Trump ranked eighth, with an approval rating of less than 45%. Morning Consult, a business intelligence organisation based in the United States, surveyed adults in sever