Refineries suspend Russian oil imports to appease Trump, avoid penalties?
ANALYSIS: Buffoon, fool, bully, whatever names you call an apparently unpredictable New Trump, but one thing is clear and certain, he is not doing things to create vote banks unlike in India, only in India, where behind every little activity, repeat every little activity, there is the wretched vote bank catch and much, much more.
Look! Presumably in the best interest of Americans, he has gone hammer tongs against Putin, once his best friend and collaborator, so with India. A flip-flopping New Delhi is now forced to recalibrate its trade strategy if India wants to avert a major economic downturn, and there's no escaping the fact. All because of a ferociously aggressive and honest New Trump! Provoking us to stop building images and chasing shadows.
NEW DELHI, Aug 1: The Indian State refineries have stopped buying Russian oil,
according to unconfirmed reports. Coming in the context of US President Donald
Trump's executive order slapping a 25% tariff on Indian goods coupled with a
'penalty' for violation of sanctions on Moscow by continuing to import crude
from Russia that helps its economy in the war with Ukraine, the move is suspected
to be intended to placate the US to facilitate a negotiated trade settlement
and remove the unspecified add-on to the levy on India.
India is the world's third-largest oil importer and is the biggest buyer of
Russian crude, a vital revenue earner for Russia which is at war with Ukraine
for a fourth year.
In an effort to economically weaken Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, the
US and the European Union had imposed sanctions on countries and individuals
dealing with Russia, including oil purchases.
However, while the 25% tariff on Indian goods is confirmed, the penalty for
Russian oil purchases is not explicitly quantified in the executive order, which
is a composite one, leaving enough scope for negotiations. Trump himself has
also indicated this feature in his Truth Social post.
Trump signed the sweeping executive order on Thursday mainly clamping tariff
rates ranging from a 10% default to 41%. The order invokes authority under the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Trade Act of 1974,
citing trade deficits and national security threats.
The tariff rates are for Indian goods 25%, Pakistan 19%, Iraq 35%, Syria 41%
(highest) and goes on, the default global minimum being 10% for countries not
listed.
Here comes the rider: The sanctions penalty. India faces an unspecified penalty
in addition to the 25% tariff, specifically for its defence and crude procurements
from Russia. The penalty is not numerically defined for now.
Of course, there are others like Brazil and Canada also appearing in the order
for unspecified penalties but on various other counts not necessarily related
to sanctions.
The order also targets entities trading in Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals,
including six India-based companies like Alchemical Solutions and Jupiter Dye
Chem, with transactions ranging from $1.3 million to $84 million, under executive
order 13846, according to media data.
India begins succumbing to pressure
According to a Reuters report, Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corp, Bharat
Petroleum Corp and Mangalore Refinery Petrochemical Ltd, India's major refineries,
have not sought Russian crude since the past week. And, instead, are looking
to West Asia and West Africa for replacements. To placate the US?
"Private refiners Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy, majority owned by
Russian entities including oil major Rosneft, have annual deals with Moscow
and are the biggest Russian oil buyers in India," the report said.
Trump had earlier threatened 100% tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil
in order to force a ceasefire with Ukraine. August 8 is set as deadline.
However, it is said the Indian State refineries are opting out because the
high discounts that were on offer in the first year of the war is no more there
now.
Trump signed the executive order on Thursday imposing the finalised tariff
on 70 countries at rates ranging from 10% to 41%. The penalty vis-a-vis the
Russian sanctions appear on the list as add-ons, especially for India.
Notwithstanding the executive order, negotiations on tariffs and sanctions can
continue if needed, Trump said on Truth Social.
Private players lik Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy continue to be the
country's top importers of Russian oil. In refining capacity and Russian imports,
the figures for private refineries are a little higher than the State's. Russian
imports average 1.8 million barrels per day and the country's refining capacity
is 5.2 million bpd.
The CCTV footage and the video circulating on social media do not indicate any serious abnormalities in takeoff or descent, it has been confirmed. The disaster is becoming curiouser and curiouser. The flight path was not curvy. And the aircraft maintained a steady, gliding descent with its nose straight and the wings perfectly level. The pilot's distress call does not specify what prevented lift and climb-out. Here are some expert opinions. The sole purpose is to raise travellers' awareness about air travel.
Many of the victims were charred beyond recognition, making identification difficult. Three hundred nineteen body parts have been sent for DNA matching with relatives to determine the identities.
A comment on social media on Kanimozhi's answer on the question of national language read: "Daughter of Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi. Delivered the Birthday Present to her Father!!" (Karunanidhi was born on June 3, 1924)
(Today's headlines )
Trump said, "Elon is not really leaving" and will be "back and forth" to the White House because DOGE is his "baby." "I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things.”
Musk wrote: "My scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end... The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." Now on it will be on auto-pilot.
PROGNOSIS: DOGE was prematurely born to protect the country by aborting an impending socio-economic disaster which very few people could see coming.
Although its immediate job was to save American taxpayers billions by slashing waste, eliminating fraud, cutting Government bloat and ensuring utmost efficiency in administration for the good of the people.
(Today's headlines )
"Coming from a system like in England, empowering," she says she never had an idea of this sort of experience... being asked to “socialise with middle-aged men” who financed the event...humiliating...
Originally from Junagadh, Gujarat, Pataudi was relocated to Etawah Lion Safari in September 2019 before being transferred to Gorakhpur Zoo in 2021. Recently it was receiving treatment for pancreatic and liver infections. After tigress Shakti died in the zoo on May 7 due to bird flu, Pataudi was shifted to Kanpur. Some birds are also reported to have died mysteriously around Gorakhpur. All zoos in UP are closed for fear of a bird flu outbreak.
Three other animals too had died - a tiger, a leopardess and a female wolf. Wolf Bhairavi died last Saturday, leopardess Mona died the Thursday before that and tiger Kesari died on March 30. Some of them had Shakti's symptoms but the cause of death has not been confirmed yet.
As tourist inflow is an indicator of normalcy returning to an erstwhile terrorist infested Valley, the Government has been trying hard to make everything travel-friendly, launching lot many projects and bringing Kashmir on the national rail map that physically completes the process of Kashmir's integration with the rest of India. And that defeats the designs of Pakistan eyeing Kashmir and simply explains a recrudescence of terrorism in J&K.
"It's a big victory not just for Tamil Nadu but for all Indian States. DMK will continue to struggle for and win State autonomy and Federal polity," Chief Minister MK Stalin said.
Of 2.08 km in length, it features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of ships while ensuring seamless train services to the holy town of Rameswaram on Pamban island.
ANALYSIS: There is a lot of hue and cry around the world over Trump's tariffs. But tariff, simply put, is a tax. But unlike tax, it affects the exporting country too. Domestic prices will go up for some time. Nothing more will happen, good or bad!
What motivated Trump's newfound policy, apart from being a stunt to justify his existence in the White House, is a false realisation that increased tariff will make foreign goods prohibitive, thereby boosting local production, and create more jobs, and more prosperity will ring in! If that is true, India would have been shining by now: Producing own Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail and Scotch Whiskies! And what about coconut and palm oil by America!
(Today's headlines )
PROGNOSIS: It looks a Real New Trump is emerging - courageous, balanced, powerful and disinterested. Determined to save his country from the cliff, he has done quite a few draconian things that will reduce the burden of debts of the Federal entity, like the golden handshake, stopping senseless funding, pulling out of a worthless WHO. Shutting the Education Department is another. On the other hand, running it is also not the Centre's job either (We will convincingly elaborate it in the next chapter).
In India the scene is just the opposite. Centralisation is the core agenda and identity of the ruling dispensation without which it has no existence, or in other words, it exists for that set of schemes only. A realisation of this never dawned upon any Opposition party in 2014 or any time thereafter, what to talk of being able to see it coming 70 years ago! The consequence of all this violation of basic natural law of the universe we cannot predict.
THE AMERICAN CONUNDRUM: Political venom has migrated to top echelons in the US. It was reported last year NASA has become politicised, vitiated. But NASA refuted the charge. How Boeing developed a glitch but its unmanned return was smooth. When Suni-Wilmore were stranded last June, why the return was set for February? Because that comes only after January 20! SpaceX called the shots, for itself and for Trump. Then the mission was manipulated for March for a better bargain! In between, what made Elon Musk 'predict' during campaign if Kamala Harris wins he would be in jail. In politics, it is said, "the only rule is there are no rules." Difficult times for Americans too.
The terminations are part of a large-scale exercise going on all across Fed departments and organisations to reduce wasteful Government expenditure as decided by a Trump in a mess gone berserk, and improve administrative efficiency following the whims of billionaire and his associate Elon MusK and his DOGE. It has not been shared how terminations are going to raise the efficiency bar! It looks like Trump has stolen some of the prescriptions meant for India. But the American problems are quite different.
Suddenly these colonial clerks feel this effortless, little rule will tremendously enhance security and convenience for the railway passengers manifold. More stations will be covered in the next 77 years! (Also See:
New Delhi station stampede... What went wrong?)
ANALYSIS: "The standard operating procedure for deportations by aircraft used by ICE that is effective from 2012 provides for the use of restraints," says the Government. That means, it is taken for granted the US will set the standard for deportations. For another, the Government is more interested in comparing with what happened in 2012 under a different Government to justify its own compliance! No surprise, others are trampling upon us. (How we conduct ourselves inside decides, inherently, how we are treated outside) Thirdly, the Government blamed the gangs doing the business of human trafficking for the illegal migration. For all the crimes taking place in the country, let us blame the criminals! Funny! We will never move an inch forward! The mindset defines what we are.
Meanwhile, a UN-returned Congress leader Shashi Tharoor sounded like a layman when he said, "If they are citizens of India we have an obligation to take them back." Who said 'No'?. He should know that is not the issue now. Who will identify an undocumented person, and how?
OPINION: A nutty 'new' Trump must know checking illegal immigration is his job and not theirs. And 'penalty' tariff is not a solution. However, Trump talking about "major threat" from "illegal aliens" (illegal immigration) is about what he believes, right or wrong, and to that extent he is genuine and honest; it is certainly not a pretension to prop up his political relevance. Bullies are always true to themselves. Look at India's crooked politicians shouting day in, day out to prove they are more patriotic, and to whip up public sentiments for them to ride on!
The function was held indoors from 12 pm (10:30 pm IST) at the rotunda of the US Capitol building because of unusually intense cold and snow. Delivering his inaugural address, Trump remarked, “The golden age of America begins right now," and just hours later signed a slew of executive orders to redeem the election pledges.
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