News SA

NEWS SOUTH AFRICA

Menu
Menu
Menu

Tag: INDIA

LABOUR MOBILITY: The buzzword to counter resistance to labour migration
12Nov By News SANo Comments
International

LABOUR MOBILITY: The buzzword to counter resistance to labour migration

By Fawzia Moodley: A mechanic using a laptop (Image: Peoplecreations on Freepix) With the growing resistance to labour migration in many parts of the world, it’s harder for workers, including highly skilled professionalsseeking new pastures, to find jobs abroad. For India and African countries, including South Africa, the latest blow is the imposition of a hefty $100,000 fee to apply for an H-1B visa to work in the US, which is valid for three years and renewable for another three years.  Trump imposes hefty visa fee The H-1B visa allowed employers to recruit non-immigrant foreign workers with specialised skills, and was seen as a way for US companies to remain competitive, grow and create more jobs. But amidst a widespread pushback against immigrant workers an...
Read More
AUTO MODE: Indian companies bolster South African vehicle manufacturing sector
13Oct By News SANo Comments
Motoring

AUTO MODE: Indian companies bolster South African vehicle manufacturing sector

By Fawzia Moodley:  (Image: Maheindra website) India’s automotive sector is set to bolster its investment in South Africa with companies like Mahindra & Mahindra, undertaking to upgrade their existing assembly operations to full manufacturing plants and establishing new plants. This was confirmed by South African Trade Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau, who has been engaging Indian and Chinese auto manufacturers, as part of his government’s efforts to attract major vehicle manufacturers to invest or increase their investment in the local automotive industry.  Filling the gap His intervention comes amid threats to South Africa's auto manufacturing sector, through declining export demand due to tariffs, competition from cheaper imports, and local...
Read More
RAPPROACHMENT: India and the us seek to defuse tension
19Sep By News SANo Comments
International

RAPPROACHMENT: India and the us seek to defuse tension

 By Fawzia Moodley: President Donald J. Trump holds hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India during a surprise walk-in in 2019, in Houston, Texas. (Image: White House Official Photo by Shealah Craighead) Realpolitik demands that Washington and New Delhi find common ground amidst the fallout between the two allies over Donald Trump’s imposition of a 50% tariff on Indian exports to the US and indications are that the two countries may be on the way to some kind of rapprochement.  Signs of a possible thaw India has been holding out hope that Trump, who had accused New Delhi of supporting Russia against Ukraine by purchasing oil from Russia, would reconsider the 50% tariff—the highest levy imposed on any country, except Brazil, which received the same treatment...
Read More
PUNISHING INCREASE: Will the Indian economy survive Trump’s high tariffs? 
13Aug By News SANo Comments
International

PUNISHING INCREASE: Will the Indian economy survive Trump’s high tariffs? 

By Fawzia Moodley: Narendra Modi and Trump at the United Nations. (Image: Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead) Donald Trump has slapped tough tariffs on India, which is bracing for even more punishing trade levies from the world’s most powerful country. On August 6, the US imposed an additional 25% to the 25% tariffs already announced by Trump against India, to come into effect in 21 days.  Unless there is a breakthrough in negotiations, the resultant 50% tariffs will be among the highest imposed by the US on any country so far. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has enjoyed cordial relations with Trump until now, was understandably taken aback by the harsh measures, and India, while hoping for a thaw in Trump’s stance, is bracing itself for the impact of th...
Read More
MAKING MEMORIES: Indians want memorable experiences more than material possessions
4Aug By News SANo Comments
International

MAKING MEMORIES: Indians want memorable experiences more than material possessions

By Fawzia Moodley: The Durga Puja festival has been incorporated into India's experiential economy. (Image: PIB) A burgeoning and sophisticated middle class with increased disposable income and a worldly outlook has given impetus to India's experiential economy. Increasingly, India’s consumers are seeking memorable experiences rather than focusing on material possessions and opulence.  The younger generation is driving this change, reshaping consumer behaviour and creating new opportunities for businesses focused on live events, entertainment, travel, food and drink, and arts and culture. Gen X and millennials, particularly, are seeking new, exciting, and engaging experiences, driving the exponential growth of India's experiential economy, with the Event and Ente...
Read More
THE TRUMP EFFECT: Apple shifts operations from China to India amidst ongoing tariffs and trade war
2Jun By News SANo Comments
Technology

THE TRUMP EFFECT: Apple shifts operations from China to India amidst ongoing tariffs and trade war

By Fawzi Moodley: The heat from US President Donald Trump’s trade war against China may have turned down a notch after the two countries reached a temporary truce in mid-May, but Trump’s tariff policy has created a climate of uncertainty among American companies with operations in China. Tech companies reliant on Chinese components, technology, and skills are particularly hard hit, and under pressure to move their operations away from China, preferably to the US. Even the iconic Apple iPhone brand has not escaped unscathed. Caught in the crossfire of the US-China trade war and in a bid to avoid falling foul of the resulting economic fallout of the tensions between Washington and Beijing,  Apple is gradually moving its iPhone production from China to India. Trump h...
Read More
TRADING PLACES: India deepens relations with Africa but not competing with China
9May By News SANo Comments
International

TRADING PLACES: India deepens relations with Africa but not competing with China

By Fawzia Moodley: Angolan President João Lourenço and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi (Image: CGTN Africa) Africa’s fourth-largest trade partner, India, is keen to strengthen its ties with the continent without competing with China, which has a huge economic footprint in the region. This was the message from New Delhi to Angolan President João Lourenço during his recent state visit to India (May 1-4), where the two countries committed themselves to deepening relations. China is Africa’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade between them reaching $295 billion in 2024. Beijing’s primary exports are manufactured goods and machinery, while Africa exports raw materials such as crude oil, iron ore, and minerals to China. India is Africa’s ...
Read More
FAST ACT: India moves swiftly after deadly terror attack in Kashmir
25Apr By News SANo Comments
International

FAST ACT: India moves swiftly after deadly terror attack in Kashmir

 By Fawzia Moodley Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, condemned the terror attack. (Image: PMINDIA) The Indian government has moved swiftly amidst the grief and outrage after a deadly terror attack at Pahalgam in scenic Jammu and Kashmir, bordering India and Pakistan. The attack on Tuesday ( April 22) by members linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) left 26 tourists dead and 17 injured. It has reignited tensions between India and Pakistan, both of which claim Kashmir as part of their territories, which has long been a flashpoint for skirmishes between the two countries. Over the past 70 years, domestic militant groups, demanding either independence for Kashmir or for the area to become part of Pakistan, have launched attacks and fought Indian security forces....
Read More
GENDER EQUITY: India and South Africa tackle gender inequality head-on
9Apr By News SANo Comments
Politics

GENDER EQUITY: India and South Africa tackle gender inequality head-on

By Fawzia Moodley Indian women in a rally. (Image: Council on Foreign Relations) Patriarchy and a lack of education are often linked to gender-based violence and the economic exploitation of women. South Africa and India are among the countries tackling these challenges head-on. South Africa has made significant progress in empowering women since the advent of democracy in 1994, especially in the political sphere. The country ranks among the top globally for female parliamentary representation. It also held 20th position out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Global Gender Gap Report. However, despite the mechanisms, including economic empowerment programs and laws to protect women against gender-based violence, South Africa faces significant challenges...
Read More