India's external debt rises by USD 31 bn to USD 647 bn in 2023: World Bank report
India's total external debt has increased by USD 31 billion to USD 646.79 billion in 2023, according to World Bank International Debt Report.
The report said that interest payment increased from USD 15.08 billion in 2022 to USD 22.54 billion in 2023.
While the long-term debt stocks have risen 7 per cent to USD 498 billion in 2023, short-term debt stocks declined marginally to USD 126.32 billion in 2023.
According to the report, external debt stock as percentage of exports was 80 per cent, while debt servicing was 10 per cent of exports in 2023.
The World Bank International Debt Report, 2024, further said that net debt inflows during the year worked out to be USD 33.42 billion, while the net equity inflows were higher at USD 46.94 billion in 2023.
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ISRO to kick off 2026 with PSLV-C62 launch on Jan 12
Bengaluru (PTI): ISRO is gearing up for its first launch of the new year with the PSLV-C62 mission on January 12 from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
According to an ISRO official, the primary payload of the mission is the EOS-N1, an imaging satellite built for strategic purposes by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
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"The Launch of PSLV-C62 Mission is scheduled on 12 January 2026 at 10:17 hrs IST from First Launch Pad (FLP), SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota," ISRO said in a post on 'X'.
The rocket will also carry a small probe device, Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID), developed by a Spanish-based startup, and will remain attached to the PS-4 stage, they said.
As many as 17 other commercial payloads from startups and research institutions across India, Mauritius, Luxembourg, the UAE, Singapore, Europe, and the United States are also manifested for this flight, sources said.
The post further said that the public can witness the launch from Launch View Gallery at SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota by registering through online: lvg.shar.gov.in.
The Indian space agency has asked visitors to keep their Aadhar card or driving license or any government-issued ID, mobile number and email ID ready for a hassle-free and quick registration process.
