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A day after presenting her ninth Budget, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman spoke at length on a range of topics with TOI’s Sidhartha and Surojit Gupta. While she is confident the domestic situation is under control, she feels her biggest challenge ‘will be external’What do you see as the big upside and the downside risk to…
DEA Secretary Anuradha Thakur Economic Affairs secretary Anuradha Thakur expects foreign capital inflows to improve on the back of Budget measures that have been unveiled and is confident that the growth momentum will sustain. Excerpts:Given the challenges that the economy faces, how do you see the growth-inflation dynamics playing out in the short term?■ I…
Finance ministry secretary V Vualnam (File photo) Expenditure secretary V Vualnam says fiscal prudence was a clear priority for govt and within the constraints of the Budget, it has rolled out support for critical sectors. Excerpts:Can you help us understand the overall strategy behind the spending plan? How much flexibility on raising capex does govt…
CBIC chairman Vivek Chaturvedi CBIC chairman Vivek Chaturvedi is confident about meeting Budget targets and details number of reform measures that have been announced to shore up approvals using technology. Excerpts:A number of reform measures have been announced on the Customs side in the Budget. What is the strategy behind this?■ The FM, in her…
NEW DELHI: No new H-1B stamping dates seem to be available this calendar year and new interview dates are being deferred to 2027, creating major disruptions for Indian professionals working in the US. Visa offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad & Kolkata no longer have regular interview slots available. Immigration experts said there is no…
Sulaiman Khan Ghori, former engineer at Elon Musk’s AI company xAI recently shared that he has left the firm. “I have left xAI. Nothing but love to my former team and coworkers!,” Ghouri wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The exit was announced days after Ghori appeared on the Relentless podcast hosted by…
US visa interview wait times for Indian applicants show significant variation across cities and visa types. While Hyderabad and Kolkata offer faster appointments for visitor visas, Mumbai and New Delhi face longer delays. Student visa processing is generally quicker, with New Delhi providing the earliest slots. Employment visa availability also differs, with Mumbai showing the…
An old interview of actor Yash, where he stated he wouldn’t film scenes he couldn’t watch with his parents, has resurfaced amid controversy over the ‘Toxic’ teaser. The teaser’s bold content has drawn criticism and complaints, prompting comparisons to Yash’s past statements about family-friendly cinema and sparking debate on artistic evolution. Long before the glare…
For anyone who has stood in line outside a US consulate, clutching documents and rehearsing answers in their head, a visa decision can feel like a verdict on your entire life. It’s not just about travel plans; it’s about whether a stranger across a glass window believes you will come back.That anxiety spills over daily…
Donald Trump sat down for a no-holds-barred chat with The Wall Street Journal this week, and at 79, he didn’t mince words about his well-being. “My health is perfect,” he quoted flatly when pressed on age-related worries, brushing off critics who question his stamina during rallies and long days in office. Published January 1, 2026–the…
