New Delhi

$500 million is earmarked for the construction industry alone. “We will be building four new Indias in the next 20 years, but we are not sparing a thought on where the building materials will come from,” said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general of... Full Article at The Washington Post

DELHI, May 18 (UPI) -- India's state-owned utility company GAIL is expected to sign an agreement next week on a natural gas pipeline planned from Turkmenistan, the government said. The Cabinet announced that Gas Authority of India Ltd. is permitted to... Full Article at United Press International

Why the telecommunications companies chose to block the sites this week and the Indian government’s role in the situation are both unclear. Mr. Agrawal said India’s director general of Internet services has issued a directive asking I.S.P.’s to block... Full Article at The New York Times

On Wednesday, about 500 of them had assembled in Batla House, in the Okhla neighborhood in south Delhi, on what Mr. Ansari called “community land,” which meant that the land belonged to members of the Muslim community. He said that his organization is... Full Article at The New York Times

DHAKA, Bangladesh – She's just come from convincing Chinese leaders to free blind dissident Chen Guangcheng. Soon she'll cajole India's leaders to reduce oil imports from Iran. But at the moment, Hillary Rodham Clinton is renewing old friendships in one... Full Article at USA Today

Economic turmoils elsewhere, as in US post-2008, could be resolved through monetary or fiscal policies. However, no policy makes up for huge and persistent capacity shortfall in economy. No denying that there is a policy-paralysis itself in New Delhi. ... Full Article at Blogger News

Defense Acquisition Council gave the go-ahead to buy 145 howitzer guns nearly 25 years after a procurement scandal derailed the purchase. NEW DELHI, May 17 (UPI) -- India's Defense Acquisition Council gave the go-ahead to buy 145 howitzers nearly 25... Full Article at United Press International

2012-13 is approximately 15.5 million tons, Press Trust of India reports. The minister said the amount in 2011-12 was 17.44 million tons and 18.50 million tons in 2010-11. Also Tuesday, Carlos Pascual, the U.S. special envoy and coordinator for... Full Article at United Press International

DELHI — Facing a collapse in investor confidence and a decline in the rupee to a record low against the dollar, India’s finance minister said Wednesday it was time for “some austerity” — but not time to panic. Yet with the country’s fractious coalition... Full Article at The Washington Post

At the end of poorly lighted hallways, the girls’ rooms are packed with metal bunk beds; the walls are covered with Winnie the Pooh, Cinderella and Christian messages. Ishant, 2, peers through a gate at the PALNA adoption center in New Delhi. The... Full Article at The Washington Post

Deputy oil minister R. P. N. Singh told parliament on Tuesday that imports from Iran would be reduced to 113.6 million barrels in the financial year ending next March, down from 127.8 million tons the previous year. In the past few months, New Delhi... Full Article at The Washington Post

Mr. Nasheed resigned, but the former president has said that he was forced to step down in what he called a coup. “I am all for free and fair elections in the Maldives as early as the constitution of the Maldives allows,” said Mr. Hassan at a news... Full Article at The New York Times

DELHI, May 14 (UPI) -- At least four people, including three people branded as witches or warlocks, were killed in Jharkhand in east India in recent months, officials said. Police said the killings were attributed to witchcraft "diktats," non-reviewable... Full Article at United Press International

DELHI — Inflation in India accelerated faster than expected in April, as the cost of food, fuel and manufactured items all rose, complicating the central bank’s efforts to curb rising prices with economic growth slumping nearly to a three-year low. A... Full Article at The New York Times

In addition to debating and passing legislation Mr. Keishing is still fit enough to walk without a stick, talk without a hearing aid, read (though he does need glasses) and write and deliver speeches. He lives with his wife, children and grandchildren... Full Article at The New York Times

The so-called BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – pledged to expand mutual trade and discussed the possibility of a new development agency to balance the Western-dominated global financial system. But the group has found... Full Article at The New York Times

The second most expensive city was found to be the Swiss city Geneva, where the sandwich costs an average of £20.10 ($32.56), followed by £18.83 ($30.50) for a Club in Oslo. The cheapest city of those surveyed was New Delhi with a cost of just £5.91... Full Article at PR Newswire

“The menu reflects five years of research,” said the chef, Maneesha Lamba. The society hopes to put India on the world’s culinary map by displaying its rich food traditions. At a time when pundits and politicians alike are urging India to expand its... Full Article at The New York Times

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Iraq and Turkey, among others. Export contracts for Lebanon and Syria are forthcoming, reports state-funded broadcaster Press TV. Iran this week said it could be a reliable electricity partner for India after... Full Article at United Press International