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Hardeep Singh Puri, then India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, during India's last stint in the UNSC during 2011-12. At a time when the US is going through a chaotic transition in leadership, China is hoping to become the pre-eminent global power, and Pakistan is trying to rake up Kashmir and the human rights situation in India, India has entered the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a non-permanent member this month. It will stay on the council for two years. India at UNSC India has served in the UN Security Council seven times previously. * In 1950-51, India, as President of UNSC, presided over the adoption of resolutions calling for cessation of hostilities during the Korean War and for assistance to Republic of Korea. * In 1967-68, India co-sponsored Resolution 238 extending mandate of UN mission in Cyprus. * In 1972-73, India pushed strongly for admission of Bangladesh into UN. The resolution was not adopted because of a veto by a permanent member. * In 197...

Danish Khan in London Westminster Magistrate’s Court in London will deliver a ruling on February 25 on whether Nirav Modi can be sent back to India or not. Nirav Modi’s extradition case sprang from a straightforward case of fraud. Unlike Mallya, there is no scope for convergence of business failure with bad debts for Nirav Modi. And unlike Mallya, Modi has been in jail since his arrest, having failed to secure bail despite numerous attempts. Judges have termed him a flight risk with access to vast funds and the possibility of influencing witnesses. Yet, the petite diamond trader has woven a script of a fragile mind and fears of persecution if sent back to India. But can these arguments restore his freedom? On March 19, 2019, a harmless chore of attempting to open a bank account in central London precipitated Nirav Modi’s arrest. India had moved a request to extradite him and an employee of Metro Bank’s branch in central London, instead of engaging with Modi on the formalities of openin...

GAIL (India) Ltd, the nation's largest gas distribution firm, will on Friday consider buyback of shares with a view to returning surplus cash to shareholders, the biggest being the Government of India. In a stock exchange filing, the company said its board will meet on January 15 to consider share buyback as also payment of interim dividend for the fiscal year ending March 2021. It did not give details. The government has asked at least eight state-run companies to consider share buybacks as it scours for ways of raising funds to rein in its fiscal deficit. The firms asked to consider share buybacks include miner Coal India, power utility NTPC, and minerals producer NMDC. A buyback, also known as a share repurchase, is when a company buys its own outstanding shares to reduce the number of shares available in the open market. Companies buy back shares for a number of reasons, such as to increase the value of remaining shares available by reducing the supply or to return sur...