Kharge hospitalised for planned procedure, advised pacemaker to be implanted, says son
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is admitted to a hospital here for a planned procedure, as he was advised a pacemaker to be implanted, his son and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge said on Wednesday.
He said that his father's condition is stable and is doing well.
"Sri Kharge was advised pacemaker to be implanted and is admitted to the hospital for the planned procedure. He is stable and doing well. Grateful to all of you for your concern and wishes," Priyank Kharge said in apost on 'X'.
According to party sources, the 83-year-old leader was admitted to the city's M S Ramaiah Hospital on Tuesday, and is being taken care by the doctors there.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited Kharge, who is also the leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, at the hospital on Wednesday.
"He (Kharge) had some uneasiness, so he came to the hospital for a checkup. He is alright. He will be discharged tomorrow. He is speaking. He is okay and normal," Siddaramaiah told reporters after visiting Kharge.
"Siddaramaiah today met AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, who is undergoing treatment at M S Ramaiah Hospital in Bengaluru, and inquired about his health. He wished him a speedy recovery," the Chief Minister's office said in a statement.
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India, New Zealand ink free trade agreement
New Delhi (PTI): India and New Zealand on Monday inked a free trade agreement, aimed at boosting two-way commerce and investments.
The pact was signed by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and visiting New Zealand's Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay.
The FTA provides duty-free access for 100 per cent of India's exports to New Zealand, covering all tariff lines or produce categories, and is expected to significantly boost MSMEs and employment by enhancing competitiveness in labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, and processed foods.
Earlier, New Zealand maintained peak tariffs of up to 10 per cent on key Indian exports, including ceramics, carpets, automobiles, and auto components.
With zero-duty market access from entry into force as New Zealand's other trade partners, Indian products will be fully competitive in that country, enjoying a level playing field.
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Significantly, India also secured duty-free inputs for its manufacturing sector, including wooden logs, coking coal, and waste and scraps of metals, lowering production costs and enhancing the global competitiveness of the Indian industry.
On the other hand, India has offered tariff liberalisation on 70.03 per cent of tariff lines covering 95 per cent of bilateral trade value, while keeping 29.97 per cent of tariff lines excluded to protect India's sensitive sectors.
The products that are kept in exclusion are mainly -- dairy (milk, cream, whey, yoghurt, cheese etc.), animal products (other than sheep meat), agricultural products (onions, chana, peas, corn, almonds), sugar, artificial honey, animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils, arms and ammunition, gems and jewellery, copper and articles thereof (cathodes, cartridges, rods, bars, coils), aluminium and articles thereof (ingots, billets, wire bars) among others.
On 30 per cent of tariff lines of New Zealand, India will provide duty elimination on goods such as wood, wool, sheep meat, and leather-raw hides.
Similarly, 35.60 per cent of tariff lines are subject to phased elimination over 3, 5, 7, and 10 years, including petroleum oil, malt extract, vegetable oils, selected electrical and mechanical machinery, and peptones.
New Zealand products which enjoy tariff reductions include wine, pharmaceutical drugs, polymers, aluminum, iron and steel articles, and goods that only 0.06 per cent fall under tariff rate quotas, including Manuka honey, apples, kiwi fruit, and albumins, including milk albumin.
The FTA also includes a commitment to facilitate USD 20 billion in investment into India.
A rebalancing clause is incorporated into the Agreement to provide a framework for addressing any shortfall in investment delivery, thereby ensuring robust and tangible economic outcomes.
Total bilateral trade in goods and services reached USD 2.4 billion in 2024.
