GST refund drive extended till June 16
New Delhi, June 12: The government on Tuesday extended the special fortnight-long drive to process pending GST refunds by two more days till June 16.
It said that refunds worth over Rs 7,500 crore were already sanctioned as a part of this drive till now compared to Rs 5,350 crore sanctioned in the earlier drive which lasted from March 15 to 29.
"In view of overwhelming response from exporters and pending claims, the period of refund fortnight is being extended by two more days, that is up to June 16," an official statement said.
The government had last month announced the fortnight-long drive from May 31 to June 14.
In March, the government had launched a similar exercise to process the pending GST refunds on account of exports. However this time, the drive is to facilitate all types of refund claims received till April 30.
"This will include refunds of IGST paid on exports, refunds of unutilized input tax credit and all other GST refunds," the Finance Ministry had said in a statement when the drive was launched.
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Russia always ready to supply crude oil to India: Envoy
New Delhi (PTI): Russia has always been open to supplying crude oil to India, Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov said on Thursday, amid increasing concerns over spiralling prices of petroleum products in view of the West Asia crisis.
Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran has virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
India imports 88 per cent of its crude oil needs and roughly half of its natural gas requirement. These mostly come via the Strait of Hormuz.
Any prolonged instability in West Asia is set to be detrimental to India's national interests as the region remains a major source of New Delhi's energy security.
"We have been open to supplying crude oil to India," Alipov told reporters while responding to a question on Russian crude oil supplies to India in view of the West Asia crisis.
The US launched military strikes on Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Following the military offensive, Iran has carried out a wave of attacks mainly targeting Israel and American military bases in several Gulf countries including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
In the last three days, the conflict has widened significantly with attacks and counter-attacks by both the sides.
India's procurement of crude oil from Russia has seen sharp fall in the last few weeks.
US President Donald Trump, while announcing a trade deal with New Delhi last month, claimed India has agree to not procure crude oil from Russia.
In an executive order, Trump had rolled back an additional 25 per cent tariffs on India that he imposed in August last for India's procurement of crude oil from Russia.
In the order, the US said it would monitor whether India resumed Russian oil purchases directly or indirectly and that would determine whether a 25 per cent tariff would again be re-impose.
India has been maintaining that it will procure oil from multiple sources and diversify them to ensure stability in the supply chain with national interests remaining the "guiding factor" for the procurement.
