Seoul, March 31 (IANS) The government will operate a crude oil swap system with private companies, starting Tuesday, in a bid to help oil refineries secure alternative oil supplies and minimise supply disruptions, the industry ministry said.Under the system, set to run over the next two months, the government will lend some of its oil reserves, mostly Middle Eastern crude, to oil refineries and later restore the stock with alternative supplies secured by the companies, reports Yonhap news agency…
Latest Central Asia News & Updates
New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) Congress leader and former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, while extending Eid greetings on Friday, alleged that Muslims across the world, “starting with India”, are often targeted by communal forces.“This has been an extremely difficult year for the Muslim community. Muslims around the world are facing many challenges and struggles. In India too, the Muslim community is often seen as victims of communal tension,” said the 84-year-old politician in a video m…
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) The Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict is turning into a regional destabiliser, threatening far-reaching consequences in the South Asian region with broader implications on security, trade and economy; further adding to the existing humanitarian crisis.The war has disrupted trade routes through Pakistan’s seaports into Afghanistan with the closure of entries at the Durand Line.Meanwhile, the war in Iran is adding its own impact to the West, almost cutting off the beleague…
London, March 18 (IANS) Baloch pro-independence leader Hyrbyair Marri on Wednesday strongly condemned the Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, describing it as another grim reminder of what he called Islamabad’s “lies and propaganda”, despite portraying itself as the “self-proclaimed defender” of the Islamic nations.He added that Islamabad’s expansionist ambitions and anti-Afghan policies have contributed to regional instability, terming Pakistan “a cancer upon regional pea…
New Delhi: The ongoing conflict in West Asia, particularly the rising escalation involving the US, Israel, and Iran, has sucked in the Gulf states and has created one of the most volatile environments in recent decades. For India, whose economic and strategic interests are deeply tied to West Asia, the crisis presents both challenges and opportunities. New Delhi has responded with a carefully calibrated policy of strategic neutrality, emphasising restraint, dialogue, and diplomatic engagement ra…
New Delhi, March 12 (IANS) Air India has approached the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) seeking temporary relaxation in Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms as escalating tensions in the Middle East force airlines to take longer diversionary routes, a report said on Thursday.The Tata Group-owned airline has requested permission to operate certain long-haul flights with a two-pilot crew instead of the standard three, along with an extension in maximum flying time, according to ND…
Bhopal, March 10 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday constituted a Cabinet Committee to monitor the potential impact on the state and reviewed the emerging situation arising from developments in the Middle East.The three-member panel comprises Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Deora, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Govind Singh Rajput, and MSME Minister Chaitanya Kumar Kashyap.The committee will hold regular meetings and review the problems faced by residents of Madhya Pradesh living in…
New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva on Saturday condemned Aam Aadmi Party’s city convenor Saurabh Bharadwaj for making a “baseless” allegation against the Delhi government over management of a Rs 1,000 crore loan.Sachdeva said that for state governments, taking loans either from the Central government, the Reserve Bank of India, or from financial institutions or the open market with the RBI’s permission for long-term or short-term needs is a normal administrat…
New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Top government sources on Saturday allayed fears that current global energy situation can become a crisis for India, saying that the country currently holds over 250 million barrels (around 4,000 crore litres) of crude and petroleum products, providing about 7-8 weeks of buffer across the supply chain.These stocks are not held in a single location or a single form. They are distributed across above-ground storage tanks, underground strategic caverns, pipeline systems, t…
Washington, March 1 (IANS) Indian-American Republican donor Asha Jadeja Motwani, who attended a two-hour dinner with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago this weekend alongside about 20 Republican donors, described the unfolding military action against Iran as a defining geopolitical moment that she believes will “change the destiny of the Middle East”.“Yes, it is a historic time here in Mar-a-Lago. While we were here for something else, actually, war was declared. This is obviously going …