The Goods and Services Tax (GST), one of the biggest reforms, if not the largest, by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has run into trouble at the back of the coronavirus pandemic and a contracting economy. The GST, which cut a network of taxes at the federal and state levels, was a huge political victory for Mr. Modi, who pulled …

The Indian economy, which contracted 23.9 percent in the first quarter of this year on the back of astringent lockdown that resulted in job losses and consumption fell, is in even greater trouble, the latest growth figures showed.Analysts say there is a need for a fresh stimulus package to drive growth in the Indian economy once the world’s fastest growing …

A senior Indian official said Indian troops had deployed on four strategic hilltops after what New Delhi called an attempted Chinese incursion along the disputed Himalayan border, underlining the tensions between the Asian giants. China denied that it had first moved with an embassy spokeswoman in New Delhi accusing Indian troops of crossing the Line of Actual Control (LAC) the …

When Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla was trying to mend a frayed relationship with Bangladesh in Dhaka last week, one of the offers that he made was that of a possible Covid-19 vaccine. Bangladesh, he said, would gain priority access to an Indian-produced vaccine. India’s vaccine diplomacy comes at a time when Bangladesh has made a similar bid to …

PETALING JAYA – Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said that since Perikatan Nasional (PN) government took control, relationships with China and India has improved significantly. Hishammuddin said that the improved ties would help the country’s export on its palm oil and palm oil-based products that could support the Felda settlers in the process. Speaking after a meet-and-greet session with …

India has three Covid-19 vaccines under trial and will ensure that every person receives a vaccine, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying homage to those battling the Indian coronavirus pandemic. Mr Modi has launched a National Digital Health Initiative to improve India’s healthcare system, which is expected to include the digitization of health records as well as a national registry …

PETALING JAYA – Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad Bin Mohamad said that if elected prime minister again, Zakir Naik will not be extradited to India as he will not be safe there. Mahathir said that he would send the controversial preacher anywhere but not in India, however he also admitted that not many countries are willing to accept the …

PETALING JAYA – Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today that the country need to fix bilateral ties with several countries because the relationship were ‘very tested’ to say the least. The Foreign Affairs Minister said that according to Auditor-General’s Report 2018, China’s military has trespassed Sarawak and Sabah waters almost 90 times between 2016 to 2019. As …

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has sought to scrutinize more closely the goods coming from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, South Korea and the Asean bloc, amid fears that Chinese imports are increasingly being routed through these countries. It has called for fast monitoring amendments to the customs legislation to simplify the rules for seeking concessional benefits under India’s free trade …

United Nation rights chief on Wednesday has expressed alarm that China and Asian nations were using Covid-19 crisis as an excuse to target and tighten censorship and free expression. UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement that aside for the tigthened censorship in several countries, there were also arbitrary arrests and detention of people who criticize their government’s …