India informs WTO of tariff plan to counter US duties on steel

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New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) India has informed the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that it proposes to impose retaliatory tariffs on select American goods, to counter the duties on Indian steel and aluminium exports levied by the US as safeguard duties.

According to a WTO communication, these US safeguard measures would impact $7.6 billion worth of imports of Indian products, with an estimated duty collection of $1.91 billion.In April, India requested consultations with the US under the WTO’s safeguard agreement when the decision to levy the tariffs was announced.The US stance at the WTO was that the tariffs on Indian goods were imposed on national security grounds and should not be regarded as safeguard measures.India, in its notification to the WTO, announced its intent to suspend concessions and other obligations in response to the US safeguard measures on steel, aluminium, and related products, as outlined in a Presidential Proclamation dated February 10, 2025, with the measures set to take effect on March 12.The WTO communication, dated May 9, 2025, was circulated at India’s request. It noted that although the US has not formally notified these measures to the WTO, they are effectively considered safeguard measures.”India maintains that the measures taken by the US are not consistent with the General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) 1994 and Agreement on safeguards (AoS),” it said, adding that as consultations provided for under a provision of the AoS have not taken place, India reserves the right to suspend concessions or other obligations that are substantially equivalent to the adverse effects of the measure to India’s trade,” India’s notification said.Without prejudice to the effective exercise of its right to suspend substantially equivalent obligations, India reserves its right to suspend concessions after the expiration of 30 days from the date of this notification, it further said.While the proposed duties are still at the WTO notification stage, India is also close to finalising a new bilateral trade agreement with the Trump administration.–IANSsps/svn

India to brief foreign Defence Attaches on ‘Operation Sindoor’ today

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New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) India will brief Defence Attaches (DAs) from various countries based in New Delhi on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., providing them with technical details of ‘Operation Sindoor’, the country’s recent anti-terror military offensive. The Indian armed forces are set to share critical insights and operational data, including the performance of the indigenous air defence systems and outcomes of the strike missions carried out between May 7 and May 10.Sources confirmed that the session will cover a wide array of developments, including the destruction of Chinese and Turkish-made drones and PL-15 missiles by India’s air defence forces, preventing any breach into Indian airspace.The move comes a day after Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai addressed the media, stating that the budgetary and policy support received by the armed forces over the past decade enabled the creation of a robust multi-layered air defence grid.He said the system proved to be a decisive shield during Pakistan’s retaliatory aerial attacks on May 9 and 10. “Our battle-proven systems performed exceptionally, and the indigenous Akash missile system played a critical role,” Lt Gen Ghai noted.The briefing to the Defence Attaches will also include details of a hotline conversation that took place on Monday evening around 5 p.m. between the Indian and Pakistani DGMOs.Lt Gen Ghai and his Pakistani counterpart, Maj Gen Kashif Abdullah, reportedly discussed methods to restore calm along the Line of Control and reiterated commitments to the ceasefire understanding reached after the Indian operation halted at Pakistan’s request on May 10.Official sources said that Pakistan conveyed it would not escalate the conflict and expressed willingness to adhere to the ceasefire agreement. The hotline exchange between the two military leaders also included discussions on maintaining restraint and monitoring the situation moving forward.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed the nation for the first time following the understanding that ended the intense military exchanges.He reiterated India’s hardline stance against Pakistan, stating unequivocally that New Delhi will not hold any dialogue with Islamabad except on issues related to terrorism and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).”The Kashmir issue cannot be viewed in isolation from Pakistan’s continuous export of terrorism,” the Prime Minister said.He strongly criticised Pakistan’s military and government for protecting and promoting terror outfits, warning that such support could bring about their eventual downfall.PM Modi’s remarks also come amid reports that Pakistan attached certain conditions to the ceasefire, including a proposal to revive the Indus Waters Treaty, which India had suspended as a non-military strategic pressure tactic.However, India has maintained that talks, if any, will remain confined strictly to terrorism and PoK.–IANSsd/rad

Australian PM Albanese, ministers sworn in following election victory

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Canberra, May 13 (IANS) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his ministers have been sworn in after the Labor Party won a second term in power at the federal election.Albanese, his Cabinet, outer ministry and assistant ministers were officially sworn in to their roles by Governor-General Sam Mostyn, the representative of the British monarchy in Australia, at a ceremony at Government House in Canberra on Tuesday morning.During the ceremony, the 42 members of the ministry took an oath of office, declaring that they will “well and truly serve” the Commonwealth of Australia in their respective offices, reports Xinhua news agency.The 42 members consist of 23 members of the Cabinet, the innermost sanctum of the government, seven members of the outer ministry and 12 assistant ministers.The Cabinet and outer ministry is largely unchanged from the end of Albanese’s first term, with the vast majority of senior leadership figures continuing in their roles, including Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong.Announcing the list of ministers on Monday, Albanese said that it was the largest Labor caucus — referring to the number of the party’s politicians elected to the federal parliament — in history following the landslide result at the May 3 election.He said the ministers and party had an “extraordinary opportunity” to change Australia “for the better.””I am deeply humbled by the trust that was put into my government with the election, and we certainly won’t take it for granted,” he said.Among the changes from Albanese’s previous ministry is the appointment of Michelle Rowland as Attorney-General, replacing Mark Dreyfus, who was dumped from the ministry along with former Science and Industry Minister Ed Husic due to factional negotiations.The new ministry also includes a new assistant minister role for international education, which has been filled by Julian Hill.–IANSint/sd/

US announces new sanctions on Iran following 4th round of nuclear talks

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Washington, May 13 (IANS) The US has imposed sanctions on three Iranian nationals and one Iranian entity with ties to Tehran’s Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research, which is known by its Persian acronym, SPND.The SPND is the direct successor organisation to Iran’s pre-2004 nuclear weapons program, also referred to as the Amad Project.The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, in a press statement on Monday, stated that “all individuals sanctioned are involved in activities that materially contribute to, or pose a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.””Iran continues to substantially expand its nuclear program and carry out dual-use research and development activities applicable to nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons delivery systems. Iran is the only country in the world without nuclear weapons that is producing uranium enriched to 60 per cent, and it continues to use front companies and procurement agents to obscure its efforts to acquire dual-use items from foreign suppliers,” the statement said.”The United States’ actions are intended to delay and degrade the ability of SPND to conduct nuclear weapons research and development. Today’s actions demonstrate the United States’ commitment to ensuring that Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon,” it further added.The remarks followed after the US and Iran on Sunday concluded the fourth round of indirect nuclear talks in Oman’s capital, Muscat.”The fourth round of indirect Iran-US negotiations is concluded; difficult but useful talks to better understand each other’s positions and to find reasonable & realistic ways to address the differences. Next round will be coordinated and announced by Oman,” Esmaeil Baqaei, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, posted on X.Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that indirect negotiations with the United States in Oman to revive the 2015 nuclear deal had become “much more serious and frank,” while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected US demands for Tehran to dismantle its nuclear infrastructure.Araghchi, speaking to Iran’s state-run IRIB TV after the fourth round of negotiations in Oman’s capital, said the discussions had shifted from general topics to more specific proposals.He characterised the talks as “forward-moving” but acknowledged the growing complexity of the issues.Both sides agreed to continue the discussions.Meanwhile, President Pezeshkian firmly rejected US calls to dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.”This is unacceptable. Iran will not relinquish its peaceful nuclear rights,” he declared, reaffirming Tehran’s stance that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.–IANSint/scor/sd/

Freed Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander returns to Israel from Gaza

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Jerusalem, May 13 (IANS) Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander arrived in Israel after being released from Gaza, where he was held in Hamas captivity for 19 months, Israel’s Defence Ministry said in a statement.Alexander arrived at southern Israel’s Re’im military base adjacent to the Gaza Strip to reunite with his family, who landed only a few hours earlier from the United States, Xinhua news agency reported.A photo taken earlier in Gaza showed Alexander, wearing a black T-shirt and a baseball cap, being accompanied by armed Hamas militants and a woman from the Red Cross during a handover process.Alexander was released following direct talks between Washington and Hamas.US President Donald Trump welcomed the release, writing in a post on his Truth Social platform: “Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage, is being released. Congratulations to his wonderful parents, family, and friends!”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the country “embraces” Alexander. He stressed that the Israeli government “is committed to the return of all hostages and missing persons — both the living and the fallen,” vowing to “act tirelessly until they are all brought home.”Israeli Health Ministry Spokeswoman Shira Solomon said Alexander was undergoing an initial medical assessment at the reception facility in Re’im base and would later be transferred to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv.”Medical teams and staff at the hospital are well-prepared to provide all necessary medical, psychological, and rehabilitative care for Alexander, as well as support for his family and any other needs that may arise,” Solomon said in a statement.In Hostages Square, a public plaza located in front of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and renamed following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack, hundreds gathered to watch Alexander’s return on large screens. They held up photos of the freed hostage and signs reading: “Only an end to the war in Gaza would secure the release of the remaining hostages.”Hamas sources earlier confirmed that Alexander was handed over to a team from the International Committee of the Red Cross at a designated location in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis city. He was then transferred to the buffer zone controlled by the Israeli army before heading to the Re’im military base.Eyewitnesses in Khan Younis reported that Israeli military activities in the area were halted before and during the release, and the atmosphere remained relatively calm.In a press statement, Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, said Alexander was released as part of the efforts made by mediators to achieve a ceasefire, open the crossings, and allow aid and relief to reach Gaza.Alexander is a US-born soldier serving in the Israeli army. He was abducted on October 7, 2023, in the Hamas-led raid on southern Israel that resulted in the kidnapping of 251 people and the killing of about 1,200 others.His return marks an important step toward a new round of negotiations on a Gaza truce deal that will, after the return of Alexander, also secure the release of the remaining 58 hostages in Gaza, of whom 20 are believed to be alive. The negotiations are expected to begin on Tuesday with mediation from Qatar, Egypt, and the US. Netanyahu’s office announced that an Israeli delegation will travel to Doha for talks, but stressed that the talks would take place “only under fire.”Since October 2023, Israeli fire has killed 52,862 Palestinians and injured 119,648 others in Gaza, according to local health authorities on Monday.–IANSint/rs