FGN49 UN-INDIA-GROWTH **** India to grow by 6.5% in 2025, maintain status as fastest-growing major economy: UN report United Nations: India is expected to grow by 6.5 per cent in 2025 on the back of continued robust public spending and ongoing monetary easing, even as the world economy is on a recessionary trajectory, driven by escalating trade tensions and persistent uncertainty, a UN report said. **** FGN44 US-VANCE-INDIA-VISIT **** US Vice President J D Vance, his wife Usha Vance to travel to India next week Washington/New York: US Vice President J D Vance and his wife Usha Vance will travel to India next week, his office announced on Wednesday. **** FGN51 BANGLA-PAK-TALKS **** Pak’s foreign secretary arrives in B’desh to hold foreign office consultation after 15 years Dhaka: Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch arrived in Bangladesh on Wednesday to hold the Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) on Thursday after a gap of 15 years. **** FGN32 CHINA-TRADE-3RDLD NEGOTIATOR **** China appoints new international trade representative after Trump’s call to resolve tariff deadlock Beijing: China on Wednesday appointed a new top international negotiator after US President Donald Trump said the ball is in Beijing’s court to work out a deal to end the tariff deadlock even as the White House said Chinese exports to America may face up to a 245 per cent levy. **** FGN30 CHINA-US-DEFENCE **** China slams US for increasing its defence budget to USD one trillion Beijing: The Chinese military on Wednesday criticised the United States for increasing its defence budget to USD one trillion, saying that “wanton use of force will not make America great again”. **** FGN29 NEPAL-AIRCRAFT-EMERGENCY **** Plane with 12 Indians on board makes emergency landing at Nepal’s Kathmandu airport Kathmandu: An aircraft with 12 Indians on board on Wednesday made an emergency landing at the Kathmandu airport here after experiencing a hydraulic system failure. **** FGN35 SINGAPORE-WONG-US-CHINA (RPT) **** US, China seek to draw other countries into their respective orbits: Singapore PM amid tariff war Singapore: Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday said the US and China claim they do not wish to force countries to choose sides but seek to draw other countries into their respective orbits, local media reported. **** FGN45 PAK-SHARIF-CHINA **** Pak PM hails China as ‘most sincere friend’, says IMF agreement not possible without Beijing’s support Islamabad: Terming China as Pakistan’s “most sincere friend”, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the recent agreement with the IMF would not have been possible without Beijing’s support. **** FGN7 UN-INDIA-UNSC **** India calls out attempts to introduce new parameters such as religion, faith as basis for representation in reformed UNSC United Nations: India has called out attempts to introduce new parameters such as religion and faith as the basis for representation in a reformed UN Security Council, asserting that this runs completely counter to the accepted basis of regional representation. **** FGN21 US-CHINA-TARIFF **** China now faces up to 245% retaliatory tariff: White House Washington: China now faces tariffs up to 245 per cent on imports to the United States due to its retaliatory actions, the White House has said, as the trade war escalated between the world’s two largest economies. **** FGN24 BANGLA-BNP-YUNUS **** Not satisfied at all: BNP after meeting Bangladesh chief adviser Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed dissatisfaction over his meeting on Wednesday with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and said his party demanded elections by the end of this year. **** FGN23 CHINA-PANDEY-AIIB **** Former Finance Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey takes over as VP, AIIB Beijing: Former Finance Secretary and CEO of Aadhaar Ajay Bhushan Pandey has taken over as Vice President of Investment Solutions for the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in which India is the second largest shareholder after China. **** FGN18 US-INDIAN-STUDENT-LAWSUIT **** Indian student, three others file lawsuit against possible deportation from US New York: An Indian was among four students at Michigan public universities who have filed a lawsuit against their possible deportation after their student immigration status was terminated “unlawfully”. **** FGN8 US-INDIAN-LD STUDENT **** US federal judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from deporting Indian student New York: A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting a 21-year-old undergraduate Indian whose student visa was cancelled. **** PY PY