Kohli rested for last two ODIs and T20 series against New Zealand
Napier, Jan 23: India captain Virat Kohli was on Wednesday rested for the last two games of the five-match ODI series against New Zealand and the following T20 series owing to his "workload in the last few months".
Vice-captain Rohit Sharma will lead the side in his absence.
The selection committee and the team management took the call in view of his packed schedule over the past couple of months when he led India to their maiden Test and bilateral ODI series wins in Australia.
"Considering his workload in the last few months, the team management and Senior selection committee is of the view that it would be ideal for him to get adequate rest ahead of the home series against Australia," said the BCCI in a statement.
"There will be no replacement for Mr. Kohli in the squad for the New Zealand series. Rohit Sharma will captain the side in the final two ODIs and T20I series," it added.
Prior to the Australia tour, Kohli was rested for the home T20 series against the West Indies.
He was also given a break for the Asia Cup in September and Rohit led the team to the title in the event held in the UAE.
The Indian players have a hectic schedule going into the World Cup scheduled to be held in May-July.
After the ongoing New Zealand tour, India will host Australia for five ODIs starting February 24 and soon after the IPL follows.
India lead the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand 1-0 after winning the opening match by eight wickets here Wednesday.
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IMEC momentum to boost Karnataka exports amid global trade disruptions
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka’s exporters are set to benefit as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) gathers momentum as an alternative to traditional maritime choke points, a senior tax official said, pointing to shifting global trade routes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Addressing a seminar on “Navigating Geo-Political Challenges: Policy Measures and Preparedness to Build Resilience,” Kotraswamy M, Commissioner of Central Tax, Bengaluru North, said disruptions around key routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal had underscored the need for more reliable corridors.
The event was organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) in association with the Indian Institute of Materials Management.
"Owing to geopolitical tensions in West Asia, connectivity was hindered with Strait of Hormuz and Suez Canal as the choke points. Now with India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) gaining momentum as alternatives to the choke points, exporters from Karnataka and other states in India stand to gain in the global trade market," Kotraswamy said.
With this development, several critical choke points, especially fuel-related disruptions are expected to increase, he said adding IMEC is now gaining momentum as a more efficient and more reliable pathway, instead of depending on routes like the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, or even the Cape route, which are costly in terms of freight and sailing time, Kotraswamy said.
He added that exporters were also seeing gains from policy measures under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.
“As exports are treated as zero-rated supplies under GST, the effective tax incidence on exports is zero per cent, allowing businesses to claim refunds on input taxes paid,” he said.
Kotraswamy noted that over 90 per cent of refund claims were now processed within seven days, compared to 15 to 30 days earlier.
He further said recent recommendations had enabled automatic refund processing and reduced documentation, cutting compliance costs by 20 to 25 per cent and easing working capital pressures.
Highlighting the state’s export performance, Prince Mehra of EXIM Bank said Karnataka is the fourth-largest exporter in India, contributing around seven per cent to the country’s merchandise exports and recording a compound annual growth rate of 7.8 per cent from FY19 to FY25.
“In FY25, Karnataka’s exports stood at USD 30.5 billion, driven by telecom instruments (17.3 per cent) and petroleum (14 per cent), followed by electrical equipment (five per cent), RMG/apparel (4.7 per cent), electronics (4.2 per cent), coffee (4.1 per cent) and pharmaceuticals (3.8 per cent),” Mehra said.
He added that the state ranked sixth in NITI Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index 2024 with an untapped export potential of USD 24.4 billion.
Emphasising the need for adaptability, K Ravi, senior vice president of BCIC, said in today’s volatile global landscape, resilience is no longer optional as it is a strategic imperative. Geopolitical challenges are reshaping trade dynamics and compelling businesses to rethink risk, cost, and continuity.
Sivasankari Murugan of ECGC highlighted support mechanisms available to exporters, including insurance products and policy interventions such as the RELIEF Scheme and the Export Promotion Mission.
She said such measures reflected a strong commitment to safeguarding industry competitiveness, and added that platforms like the seminar help stakeholders build the collaborative mindset required to navigate uncertainty.
