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Mint on Friday on the sidelines of a press conference to announce a partnership with Salesforce. A supplementary power purchase agreement (SPPA) with Gujarat and other client states should happen “very quickly,” he said, declining to elaborate further.The ultra mega power project in the coastal town has been shut since July 2025 amid disagreements with client states—Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Haryana—over the pass through of the high cost of Indonesian coal.Analysts at brokerage IIFL say a combination of rising power demand ahead of summer and the possibility of higher fuel prices due to the war in West Asia could strengthen Tata Power’s negotiating position this time.

New Delhi: Facing supply disruption from West Asia, the Indian government has directed all state-run and private-sector refineries in the country to step up production of domestic cooking gas by diverting feedstock away from the manufacturing of non-essential products, including petrochemicals.Using its powers under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, the ministry has directed all refiners to supply LPG to the three state-owned refiners – Indian Oil Corp Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd, Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd – which will in turn supply it only to domestic consumers of cooking gas.The development is significant as India has only about 25 days of LPG stock. Annual demand stands at 33.15 million tonnes, with imports servicing about 75-80% of this.

South Korea’s 16% stock plunge this past week. In the U.S., any inflation uptick could deprive investors of more interest-rate cuts. Or perhaps worse, the Federal Reserve could cut rates later this year, and depending on the circumstances, be judged by the bond market as giving President Donald Trump what he wants, but not necessarily giving the economy what it needs.A quick and tidy exit in Iran is no sure thing.

India is weighing a plan to prioritize natural gas supply to critical sectors after LNG (liquefied natural gas) shipments from Qatar were disrupted following an attack on QatarEnergy’s Ras Laffan liquefaction complex on Monday, three people aware of the matter said.The move assumes significance as India imports about 55% of its natural gas requirement. Further, of the $14.9 billion worth of natural gas imports in FY25, Qatar’s share was about 50%, according to data from Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC).“The government is looking at multiple options to ensure uninterrupted supply of natural gas,” one of the three people mentioned above said on condition of anonymity.

India’s energy regulator is moving to plug a widening hole in the country’s gas supply chain as the conflict in West Asia threatens supplies of natural gas that is vital to power, fertiliser and city gas distribution networks.According to two people aware of developments, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is preparing to propose overground storage facilities for natural gas near the country’s existing LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminals—India currently has eight such terminals. The storage would be used for both commercial purposes and for strategic requirements during exigencies, they said.“PNGRB may propose the government to set up storage reserves for LNG, preferably near existing terminals to support India’s growing demand at times of exigencies and ensure energy security,” one of the two people said on the condition of anonymity, adding that the regulator would approach the ministry of petroleum and natural gas to frame rules under the PNGRB Act.The urgency follows a halt in tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries more than half of India’s LNG imports, and a spike in prices of LNG after an attack on QatarEnergy’s Ras Laffan complex on Monday.The move assumes significance considering India imports 55% of its gas requirement and holds barely 20 days of inventory—including supplies in transit.

Mint explores the best- and worst-case scenarios.On Monday the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a branch of Iran’s armed forces, announced that the Strait of Hormuz was closed and attacked a few ships passing through it. The announcement quickly caused panic.

Indian companies with operations in West Asia spent the weekend tracking their employees and gauging the impact on their businesses as the US-Israel strikes on Iran escalated the conflict, freezing movement from outside and within the region.“We are in touch with the client firms. The workers are safe.

There’s a full fledged war going on between once-close neighbours Pakistan and Afghanistan. The two have been trading deadly shelling and mortar fire across their border, with Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif saying on Friday that his country’s patience had “run out” and declaring “open war” on its neighbour.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The language of diplomats is polite. That is especially true for those who speak Arabic, a tongue inclined towards courtesies and honorifics.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : US officials are increasingly pushing India to join the Pax Silica initiative aimed at challenging China's dominance in the critical minerals supply chain. On 6 February, Jacob Helberg, under secretary of state for economic affairs, told reporters that the US is excited to invite India to join the initiative, as it is perhaps the only country in the world that can challenge China's dominance in terms of the volume of human talent.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. A number of Middle Eastern governments are trying to push the U.S. and Iran into talks to head off a possible conflict, efforts that so far are failing to gain traction as both sides dig in.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. As President Trump ponders a second military strike on Iran, the relationship between the U.S. and Israel is evolving.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Alarm bells began to ring when US President Donald Trump hinted at direct intervention in what are the deadliest Iranian protests so far, posting “HELP IS ON ITS WAY" on his social media platform, Truth Social, on 13 January. The all-caps threat—Trump’s signature leadership style—urged Iranians to “KEEP PROTESTING", “TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!", and even “MIGA" (Make Iran Great Again).

New Delhi: Indian Gas Exchange (IGX) plans to launch its initial public offering by the end of 2026, according to its top executive.The IPO would largely be an offer for sale (OFS) for 22% stake by promoter Indian Energy Exchange Ltd, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) Rajesh Mediratta told reporters on Wednesday. “The merchant bankers are yet to be appointed for the sale process.”IEX currently holds 47% and NSE owns 26% of IGX, while other minority shareholders include GAIL India Ltd, Oil and Natural Gas Corp.

Israel’s strike on Hamas targets in Qatar in September, the United States began pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza. But with or without one, Israel will continue to pursue expansive goals, redrawing borders in the West Bank, southern Lebanon, and southwestern Syria in ways that could further fracture its neighbors.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Three years before his death in 2011, celebrated artist Maqbool Fida Husain penned the following lines on the margins of a sketch, “May I present for the kind glance of Her Highness a concept of ART COMPLEX, my dream to educate and entertain. Being a painter’s museum, colours’ play in architectural concept has to be predominant." Addressed to his patron, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of the Qatar Foundation, the drawing depicted Husain’s vision of a museum dedicated to his two passions: art and cinema.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. BENGALURU : The participation of Beeaar Investco Pte. Ltd, a little-known Singapore vehicle wholly owned by Byju Raveendran, may have exposed test-prep institution Aakash Educational Services Ltd’s ₹250‑crore rights issue to potential legal challenges.

reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US and has a first mover advantage as compared to other countries because of the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) that the two are negotiating, officials said, adding that Indian exporters are better positioned to deal with the additional US tariffs as compared to their competitors. The country, they said, will take all measures to check dumping of goods from China as Beijing is slapped with steeper tariffs and work within the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework to prevent the dumping of excess capacity into its markets by countries hit by high US tariffs. “The government is there to protect domestic industry from any possibility of dumping of goods in such a situation,” said an official. New Delhi is also exploring measures to protect sensitive sectors like dairy and agriculture amid the trade war. While the reciprocal tariffs on India are 26%, those on China are 34%. India is also likely to gain from the US-China trade war.

«We are negotiating under fire… We can see cracks beginning to appear» in what the group demanded in its negotiations, Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting. Netanyahu's remarks came as mediators — Egypt, Qatar, and the United States — continued efforts to broker a ceasefire and secure the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. A senior Hamas official stated on Saturday that the group had approved a new ceasefire proposal put forward by mediators and urged Israel to support it. Netanyahu's office confirmed receipt of the proposal and said Israel had submitted a counterproposal.

Ramadan, marked by fasting, prayers and acts of charity is a period of seeking forgiveness and taking time to reflect. The day begins with getting up before sunrise, morning prayers, and eating a pre-dawn meal called sehri while in the evening, the fast is concluded with an evening meal called Iftar which often comprises dates, fruits and other food items. Eid al-Fitr this year will be celebrated on either Sunday, March 30, or Monday, March 31, depending on the sighting of the moon in different parts of the world. On this special day, Muslims gather for prayers, visit family and friends, exchange gifts, give to those in need, and enjoy festive meals together. As the Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle, significant dates shift forward by approximately 11 days each year. The sighting of the crescent moon marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid celebrations.