Delhi’s pollution is a crisis of democracy as much as public health, citizens say

ANALYSIS

Citizens in the Indian capital of New Delhi say that the government’s inaction against the pollution-driven public health crisis signals both a struggling democracy and hypocrisy, as India leads talks on climate action in the Global South at COP30.


Issued on: 15/11/2025
FRANCE24
By:Diya GUPTA

People walk in the morning near the India Gate monument amidst morning smog a day after Diwali festival in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. © Manish Swarup, AP

Between October and November each year, New Delhi transforms for the worse. Its skies are shrouded by a dense, grey-yellow haze with an acrid smell that sticks to the roof of the mouth. Visibility plummets so intensely that public transport and air travel are often put on hold, and grand monuments vanish into blankets of thick air. Year after year, hospitals are overburdened by the number people – young, old and in between – who need care for severe respiratory illness.

Some reports have likened the pollution to smoking tens of cigarettes a day, but the reality is actually worse.

This year, pollution hit 30 times the safe limit set by the WHO, despite the Indian government’s "Graded Response Action Plan" that was created in early October to limit it, particularly after the Indian festival of Diwali, where many still light firecrackers.

Aside from the expected onslaught of respiratory illness, long-term exposure to contaminated air can cause cognitive impairment, increase the risk of cancer and cause long-term, chronic illness in children. India has the largest pollution-related death toll in any country in the world. According to Lancet Planetary Health, air pollution accounted for 17.8 percent of all deaths (1.67 million) in the country in 2019.

A cyclist pedals through morning smog near the India Gate monument as he transports used home appliances a day after the Diwali festival in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, October 21, 2025. © Manish Swarup, AP


Delhi's airborne slurry is made up of particulate matter, smoke, fog, sulphur dioxide (which mixes with water droplets to create sulphuric acid) and a host of other compounds which float suspended under a lid of cold, stagnant air. The lid traps toxins and pollutants and allows a quick build-up of smog that can only be alleviated by winds or heavy rain – weather phenomena which do not naturally occur during the still, cold winter months.

Delhi’s middle and upper classes can save themselves – to an extent – by staying home in air-purified rooms, but lower-income households and the many citizens living on the streets in abject poverty have no way to escape.

After years of this cyclical, air pollution-driven public health emergency, a handful of the 20 million residents in and around Delhi made a rare attempt at protest. But any hope of change was quickly quelled by police, as more than 80 demonstrators were arrested less than an hour into the protests on November 9.

© France 24
01:39

An environmental and democratic disaster

Journalist and environmental activist Saurav Das was one of the first people to amplify the call to protest, which spread largely on WhatsApp and via social media.

“I had been vocal about the pollution for two years before, but the bronchitis diagnosis really pushed me because I was leading a healthy lifestyle… aside from living in Delhi.”

Das was present at the protest and has been repeatedly harassed and intimidated by the police since then.

In the past, inaction was largely blamed on infighting between the central and Delhi government. But this year, it’s increasingly being seen as a failing of Indian President Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), since it was voted back in to rule Delhi after 27 years.

“People felt betrayed because they voted in the BJP with expectations of change," says Das. "But the pollution issue cuts across party and ideological lines. Everyone deserves clean air, regardless of who you voted for.”

A person holds a banner during citizens protest against what they called the government's lack of action to combat air pollution in the capital city New Delhi, India, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. © Manish Swarup, AP


The ruling party also made the controversial decision earlier in October to approach India’s Supreme Court to revoke a ban on "green crackers" and allow "regulated and time-bound" use after having previously banned all fireworks, whether low-emission versions or not. The subsequently heavy use of fireworks this year during the festival significantly contributed to the deteriorating air quality index (AQI).

However, a few hours into Diwali, the government’s open-access websites that provide real-time monitoring of air quality blacked out for several hours. Opposition parties and concerned citizens also accused the Delhi government of "manipulating" air quality data, with a video of water being sprayed around an AQI measurement system in order to lower the numbers. The BJP denied the allegations.

“They compromised the integrity of the data, destroyed civic spaces, used unnecessary force – even against women, children and the elderly. Our democratic spaces are shrinking, our voices are not being heard and we cannot breathe,” Das says.
Choosing optics over real change

India earlier this year announced a set of special measures known as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), that would be executed in stages according to the severity of pollution.

But the GRAP wasn’t implemented until pollution levels had already hit severe levels, and Das says that the measures that were taken came too late. “The health warnings were only issued after the protests. Even schools and workplaces had stayed open. The government focussed on crisis management, not prevention.”

A Delhi government vehicle sprinkles water to control air pollution amid a thick layer of smog in New Delhi, India, Monday, November 18, 2024.

 © Manish Swarup, AP


Delhi has been making some dubious attempts to reduce the pollution. "Anti-smog guns" – water jets attached to a truck – run all over Delhi using the logic that water will trap some of the pollutants and improve the air quality. A huge green "smog tower" in the heart of the city was supposed to act like a city-wide air purifier. Neither approach was at a scale large enough to make any real change, and the government opted for more drastic measures.

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Just over two weeks ago, the city made its first attempt at cloud seeding, a method whereby small particles of silver iodide and salt are fired into the air by (in this case) a Cessna aircraft to induce artificial rain. The falling droplets of water would bind onto the airborne particles and chemicals and clean the air as they fell to the ground – allowing citizens at least a short period of respite.

WATCH Make it rain: New Delhi trials cloud seeding to combat deadly smog

But there simply wasn’t enough moisture in Delhi’s dry winter skies to allow precipitation. “The anti-smog guns and cloud seeding are band aid methods,” Das says. “They’re more focussed on perception management because these are not long-term solutions.”

Citizens cry hypocrisy

For locals, Delhi’s toxic air has become a symbol of a struggling democracy – and as India leads talks for the Global South COP30, a sign of bitter irony as well.

Indian representatives are right now in Belin in Brazil to lead the talks of climate justice and reducing emissions, but the air quality at home will not be a part of the conversation.

Avantika Goswami, a researcher at the Center for Science and Environment, will be joining the Indian delegates at COP30 in Belin. She says that air quality is a major issue in New Delhi, but it cannot undermine the role that India will play at the COP.

“One of the primary objectives is discussing Article 9.1 of the Paris agreement, which talks about financial resources from developed countries to assist developing countries to adhere to climate policies.”

“It can’t be an either-or situation… Delhi’s pollution has to be tackled. We need better, long-lasting policies.”

“At the same time, India needs to be at COP30 to fight for climate justice for the Global South. Both things are important,” she adds.

But Das has a more critical outlook towards India’s participation at COP30, as citizens in the capital gear up for worsening pollution. “I think it’s hypocritical to be there talking about climate change when people can’t breathe here. That hypocrisy will not go unnoticed.”

Opinion

In visit to Hindu temple, King Charles demonstrates power of presence in a divided world

LONDON (RNS) — The king demonstrated that the simple act of showing up for another faith is a civic act worth preserving.

Britain's Queen Camilla, left, and King Charles III visit the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (known as the 'Neasden Temple'), to celebrate the temple's 30th anniversary in Neasden, London, on October 29, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the Neasden Temple)

Tilak Parekh
October 31, 2025
RNS

LONDON (RNS) — As he tied a sacred thread to King Charles III’s wrist on Wednesday (Oct. 29), the head monk of London’s BAPS Swaminarayan temple blessed the string as “a string of friendship… to ensure our bonds remain ever sweet.” The gesture marked Charles’ first visit as monarch to the historic Hindu temple, continuing a decadeslong relationship as Britain debates immigration, religious diversity and national identity with increasing intensity.

With its intricately carved limestone and gleaming marble, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir is widely recognized as the first traditional Hindu stone temple built in the Western world. The king’s fifth visit to the mandir, commonly known as the Neasden Temple for its neighborhood in northwest London, marked the mandir’s 30th anniversary.

“The King’s coming was more than just a special moment for us,” said Karina Patel, a British diplomat, referring to the United Kingdom’s million Hindus. “It was a powerful message from the Crown that we belong. It signals that he and the country we call home respect our faith and value our contributions to British life.”

The king has a long record of engagement with other faiths, including visits to mosques, gurdwaras, and synagogues, as well as regular meetings with religious leaders. Just a week earlier, his formal state visit to the Vatican, during which he prayed with Pope Leo, had made history.

The king and queen were greeted at the temple with flower garlands and folded hands at the mandir’s entrance. The king, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, then stepped respectfully into the temple. He observed as children offered flowers before the sacred images and as a family performed the abhishek ceremony, a devotional bathing of the sacred image of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the god consecrated in the temple’s central shrine.

Hinal Patel, who performed the abhishek ritual, said, “The king is a Christian and we are Hindus, yet he appreciated our expression of faith. We prayed for their wellbeing and we believe God who resides in the murti (sacred image) also blessed them.”

Yogvivekdas Swami ties a sacred thread on King Charles III’s wrist, a traditional welcome on behalf of Mahant Swami Maharaj, whose image is seen behind them, during the king’s visit to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (known as the ‘Neasden Temple’), in Neasden, London, on October 29, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the Neasden Temple)

In an address, the head monk, Yogvivekdas Swami, reflected on the community’s longstanding relationship with the king, recalling earlier visits and situating them within a continuum of shared causes: heritage and traditional architecture, the performing arts, youth initiatives, charity and spirituality. Bonds, he suggested, have been forged through such common-good initiatives.

A choir of children recited the Shanti Patha, prayers of peace in Sanskrit from the Yajur Veda and verses from the Satsang Diksha, a Scripture on devotional and ethical living, authored by Mahant Swami Maharaj, spiritual head of the Hindu denomination, who joined the event via video from India. Like Charles, the guru has made a commitment to showing respect to other faiths by visiting religious places like the Grand Mosque and Sikh Gurudawara in the United Arab Emirates and has engaged with religious leaders from around the world.

Mahant Swami Maharaj, 92, thanked Charles for “decades of friendship,” recalling how the king had received his predecessor, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, who founded the Neasden Temple, at St James’ Palace in 1997. In his own sermons, Mahant Swami Maharaj said, he has often quoted from a 1991 speech by then-Prince Charles, urging the rediscovery of the divine element within as the most urgent need in the modern world.

When a monarch and a prominent faith leader come together, the moment may appear symbolic, or merely ceremonial. But these two men have such well-established personal histories of interfaith dialogue that their meeting signaled not a concession to a minority population, but a real show of respect to an integral part of Britain’s faith history.

Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla stand before a statue of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the creator of the the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in Neasden, London, on Oct. 29, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the Neasden Temple)

The King has spoken of a sovereign’s duty to protect the country’s diversity, including the space for faith and its practice, within what he has described as the United Kingdom’s identity as a “community of communities.” His Christian convictions, he has said, bind him to those who follow other spiritual paths, as well as those who live by secular ideals. In an era when leaders are increasingly scrutinized for either safeguarding or undermining religious freedoms, such visits take on added resonance; what leaders signal through their presence, or diminish through their absence, affects the possibilities for pluralism.

As connections are increasingly mediated by screens and scrolling, distance can breed assumptions, reducing people to categories and flattening their complexity. Charles’ visit demonstrates that showing up still matters, especially in places that hold sacred meaning for their communities. Hearing from the crowd, observing non-verbal cues and listening to the candid conversations in the video coverage, one notices how much is conveyed by physical presence.

In news footage, the visit was often reduced to standard images: The king smiled in recognition as he greeted familiar monks and volunteers and wished several people “a belated Happy Diwali.” Queen Camilla admired the temple’s architecture and praised the design of a new temple being built in Paris. Gifts were exchanged. But from these royals, these smiles, handshakes and brief conversations are the human threads through which respect across faiths and cultures is built.

The intimacy was especially evident as the king and queen greeted devotees on their way out. Many in the crowd had arrived decades ago as refugees from East Africa, built their lives in Britain and had volunteered and donated generously to construct this “home of God.” For them, the moment carried a powerful resonance.

RELATED: How Hindu temples can become community pillars in a changing America

Across Britain and the United States, democracies are fracturing along lines of identity, belief and belonging. The king’s visit showed that simple acts showing respect, being present for one another’s sacred commitments, remains a civic practice worth preserving. The thread of friendship was tied at the visit’s opening with a blessing, “to ensure our bonds remain ever sweet.” The question for Britain is whether, and how, such bonds — between communities, across faiths, amid difference — can endure.

(Tilak Parekh is a researcher in religion and anthropology at the University of Cambridge, studying diaspora Hindu temples. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)

Absence of toxic foam in Indian river cheers Hindu devotees

New Delhi (AFP) – Thousands of devotees waded into the foul waters of the Yamuna river in the Indian capital Monday for a Hindu festival, amid political wrangling over the sacred but severely polluted waterway.


Issued on: 27/10/2025 - FRANCE24

The Yamuna river, a major tributary of the Ganges, continues to suffer from severe pollution despite repeated clean-up pledges © Arun SANKAR / AFP

At dusk, worshippers stood waist-deep in the river's brown waters to offer prayers to the sun god Surya as the setting orb sank into the haze blanketing New Delhi's skyline, marking the annual Chhath festival.

Unlike previous years, the scene was free of the thick layers of white foam that have long symbolised the Yamuna's toxic condition.

"At least this time it feels like a river, even if dirty," said 35-year-old homemaker Kanchan Devi.

"Earlier it was like going into a filthy drain."

The Yamuna river, a major tributary of the Ganges, continues to suffer from severe pollution despite repeated clean-up pledges.

At one location in south Delhi in 2021, faecal bacteria levels exceeded safe health limits by 8,800 times.

Hindi worshippers in New Delhi offer prayers to the sun god Surya for the annual Chhath festival © Arun SANKAR / AFP


The river's dismal condition was a key issue in Delhi elections earlier this year that saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) return to power in the sprawling megacity of more than 30 million people.

One of the Hindu nationalist party's main campaign promises was to clean the river.

Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said Monday that becuase of her government's efforts, "after many years, our brothers and sisters will be able to worship the sun on the banks of the Yamuna."
'Cosmetic'

"This water is now in such a condition that aquatic creatures can live very well in it, whereas earlier, even a mosquito could not thrive in this water," Gupta told reporters.

But opposition leaders have called the clean-up "cosmetic", alleging that chemicals had been used to mask the froth without addressing the fundamental causes of the pollution: untreated sewage and industrial effluents.

Laboratory analysis conducted earlier this month indicated that the faecal count in the river had reduced since last year but remained far from safe at most sites.

Opposition leaders warn that chemicals had been used to mask the froth without addressing the fundamental causes of the Yamuna river pollution © Arun SANKAR / AFP


"All said and done, it is certainly better than before," said Sanjay Paswan, a carpenter.

"I have been coming here for a decade. The difference is clear."

Delhi's pollution crisis extends beyond its rivers.

The capital is routinely blanketed by toxic smog each winter, a deadly combination of emissions from crop burning, factories and traffic.

Despite years of government initiatives, little progress has been made, and the pollution is blamed for thousands of premature deaths annually.

Earlier this month, air quality worsened sharply, following widespread use of fireworks during the Hindu festival of Diwali.

Although bans have been imposed in previous years, enforcement has been weak due to the deep religious significance of fireworks for many devotees.

This year, the Supreme Court eased restrictions, allowing the use of so-called "green" firecrackers that are designed to emit fewer particulate pollutants.

At the Chhath festivities too, firecrackers lit up the sky, leaving the air acrid with the smell of burnt sulphur.

Revellers, though, said they were not concerned.

"At least the water is clean and so is the riverbank," said daily wage labourer Sanjay Prasad.

© 2025 AFP

'An astonishing situation': Wikipedia co-founder bashes Trump's latest attacks on trust

Robert Davis
October 26, 2025 9:19PM ET
RAW STORY


FBI Director Kash Patel looks on as U.S. President Donald Trump lights a candle as he participates in a Diwali celebration in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington,D.C., U.S., October 21, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales bashed President Donald Trump's attacks on the American press and the truth during an interview with Times Radio on Sunday.

Wales, who co-founded Wikipedia in 2001 with entrepreneur Larry Sanger, said during the interview that Trump's attacks are reminiscent of other strongmen across the globe. He added that there seems to be a "real undermining" of truth by people like Elon Musk, who have attacked Wikipedia for being a left-wing activist organization.

Wales addressed that criticism and the Trump administration's impact on free information during the interview.

"Some people, I suppose, would say free information that of itself is a liberal idea, but it's also a classical liberal idea, which the Republicans used to care a lot about, the sort of founding fathers and First Amendment and that kind of thing," Wales said. "And so it's not a lefty idea. It's fundamentally a very American idea to say we need a free press and a healthy, rich dialogue in society to be able to make better decisions."

Wales added that Trump has created an "astonishing situation" for Republicans.

"When you get a President of the United States elected who clearly contradicts himself, or denies that he said things that we can all play tapes of him saying, it's an astonishing situation," Wales said. "This is part of the reason I think trust is so important."

 

India, US near major trade deal cutting tariffs to 15–16% if New Delhi will limit Russian crude imports

/ Executive Office of the President of the US

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By bno - Mumbai Office October 23, 2025

India and the United States are close to finalising a long-awaited bilateral trade deal that could sharply lower tariffs on Indian exports to about 15–16% from the current average of 50%, Mint reported on October 22. The deal, part of which has been under discussion for several years, seeks to reset trade ties between the two nations by balancing market access with energy and agricultural commitments.

According to the report, energy and agriculture are the key components driving the negotiations. India may also agree to gradually scale down its imports of Russian crude oil in return for tariff concessions from Washington. The purchases of Russian oil had earlier triggered an additional 25% levy on Indian exports, adding to the reciprocal tariffs announced in April. Russia currently accounts for nearly 34% of India’s crude imports, while the US supplies about 10% of its total oil and gas demand by value.

The Indian side is also considering allowing larger imports of non-genetically modified corn and soymeal from the US to meet growing domestic demand from the poultry, dairy and ethanol sectors. The current import quota for American corn is 0.5mn tonnes a year, and this could be raised even though duties will remain unchanged at 15%. The move is seen as part of a broader effort to address food security while giving Washington a foothold in India’s agriculture market.

Negotiations have also focused on easing the entry of non-GM soymeal for both human and livestock consumption. However, discussions remain inconclusive on tariff concessions for dairy products, especially high-end cheese, a key American demand, Mint added. Sensitive areas like agriculture and energy still need political clearance before the deal is formally announced.

Mint reported that the bilateral trade agreement is likely to be unveiled at the ASEAN Summit later this month, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump may meet. The deal’s contours are largely settled, with a built-in review mechanism that would allow both sides to revisit tariff and market access conditions periodically.

Energy cooperation remains another important component. India, which imports around $12–13bn worth of crude and gas annually from the US, could expand this by a similar amount if pricing remains favourable. The commerce ministry, external affairs ministry and the national security adviser’s office are jointly steering the negotiations, with a target to conclude the deal by November 2025.

The talks come as the US looks to deepen trade ties with allies amid falling agricultural exports to China and shifting global supply chains. A successful agreement would mark one of the most significant resets in India–US trade relations in recent years.

In market indicators, the GIFT Nifty index rose sharply on the back of the Mint report, suggesting that Indian equities could open at or near a record high on October 23. Indian stock markets were closed on October 22 for Diwali.

Gift Nifty, formerly known as SGX Nifty, is a derivative contract linked to India's Nifty 50 index, originally traded on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX). 

Indian capital chokes after Diwali firework frenzy

New Delhi (AFP) – Toxic air in India's capital hit more than 56 times the UN health limit early Tuesday, after fireworks for the Hindu festival of Diwali worsened air pollution.

Issued on: 21/10/2025

FRANCE24

Toxic air blanketed India's capital after fireworks set off for the Hindu festival of Diwali worsened air pollution © Arun SANKAR / AFP

This month, the Supreme Court relaxed a ban on fireworks during the festival of lights, allowing the use of less-polluting "green firecrackers" -- designed to emit fewer particulates.

The ban was widely ignored in past years, however, and environmental groups have expressed doubts about the efficacy of the supposedly greener explosives.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, just after the peak of the bursting fireworks, levels of cancer-causing PM 2.5 microparticles hit 846 micrograms per cubic metre in parts of New Delhi, according to monitoring organisation IQAir.

That is more than 56 times the World Health Organization's recommended daily maximum.

New Delhi regularly ranks among the world's most polluted capitals 

© Arun SANKAR / AFP

By Tuesday morning, PM2.5 concentrations had eased to around 320 micrograms per cubic metre — roughly 23 times WHO limits, but relatively typical for New Delhi in winter.

The city regularly ranks as among the most polluted capitals.

A study in The Lancet Planetary Health last year estimated that 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 were linked to air pollution.

The UN children's agency warns that polluted air puts children at heightened risk of acute respiratory infections.

© 2025 AFP

'Democrat in disguise?' MAGA turns on Trump for celebrating Diwali in the Oval Office

Robert Davis
October 21, 2025 


FBI Director Kash Patel looks on as U.S. President Donald Trump lights a candle as he participates in a Diwali celebration in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington,D.C., U.S., October 21, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Some of President Donald Trump's MAGA supporters melted down on Tuesday after the president hosted a celebration for the Hindu holiday of Diwali at the White House.

Diwali is the Hindu holiday of light. The five-day celebration highlights the victory of good over evil throughout the Hindu religion and is considered to be as important to Hindu followers as Christmas is to Christians. Trump also celebrated the holiday during his first administration.

The celebration did not seem to sit well with Trump's MAGA base, many of whom shared their thoughts on social media.

"To be clear, this is weird," Matthew Tuck, who describes himself as a "Christian nationalist," posted on X.

"Why is President Trump having a 'Diwali celebration' at the White House?" Emerald Robinson, a host on Linell TV, posted on X. "Dear Christians: celebrating false religions is a grave sin. Trump should fire his 'spiritual advisor' @Paula_White and anybody else who allowed this sacrilege."

"So racist!" conservative IP attorney Jason Sanders posted on X.

"$40 billion for Argentina, weapons for Israel, bombs overseas, fights with the most fiscally conservative anti-war members of Congress, and now you are celebrating Diwali...Is this a Republican president or a Democrat in disguise?" Calvin Mercer posted on X.

"The Whitehouse is now celebrating pagan festivals that are antithetical to Christianity?" Justin Andrusk asked on X.

Toxic haze chokes Indian capital

Motorists drive amidst morning smog, as authorities enforce measures to curb air pollution ahead of the Diwali festival, in New Delhi, India. (AP)

AFP
October 20, 2025

A study in The Lancet Planetary Health last year estimated 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 were linked to air pollution
City authorities said they will trial cloud seeding by aeroplanes for the first time over Delhi this month, the practice of firing salt or other chemicals into clouds to induce rain to clear the air

NEW DELHI: India’s capital New Delhi was shrouded in a thick, toxic haze on Monday as air pollution levels soared to more than 16 times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily maximum.

New Delhi and its sprawling metropolitan region — home to more than 30 million people — are regularly ranked among the world’s most polluted capitals, with acrid smog blanketing the skyline each winter.

Cooler air traps pollutants close to the ground, creating a deadly mix of emissions from crop burning, factories and heavy traffic.

But pollution has also spiked due to days of fireworks set off to mark Diwali, the major Hindu festival of lights, which culminates on Monday night.

The Supreme Court relaxed this month a blanket ban on fireworks over Diwali to allow the use of the less-polluting “green firecrackers” — designed to emit fewer particulates.

The ban was widely ignored in past years.

On Monday, levels of PM2.5 — cancer-causing microparticles small enough to enter the bloodstream — hit 248 micrograms per cubic meter in parts of the city, according to monitoring organization IQAir.

The government’s Commission of Air Quality Management said air quality is expected to further deteriorate in the coming days.

It also implemented a set of measures to curb pollution levels, including asking authorities to ensure uninterrupted power supply to reduce the use of diesel generators.

City authorities have also said they will trial cloud seeding by aeroplanes for the first time over Delhi this month, the practice of firing salt or other chemicals into clouds to induce rain to clear the air.

“We’ve already got everything we need to do the cloud seeding,” Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa told reporters this month, saying flight trials and pilot training had been completed.

A study in The Lancet Planetary Health last year estimated 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 were linked to air pollution.

The UN children’s agency warns that polluted air puts children at heightened risk of acute respiratory infections.

Diwali, Christmas, And Hanukah For All – OpEd

October 18, 2025
By Rabbi Allen S. Maller


A very thoughtful article appeared in the Eurasia Review on October 17, 2025 written by Dr. Fr. John Singarayar said “Every autumn, when millions of clay lamps flicker across India’s rooftops and courtyards, a beautiful paradox unfolds in the homes of Indian Christians. While their Hindu neighbors celebrate Diwali with prayers to Lakshmi and stories of Rama’s return, these followers of Christ find themselves navigating a delicate dance between faith and culture, between standing apart and belonging together.



The question that haunts many Christian families during this season is not whether to celebrate, but how to honor their beliefs while living authentically in the land they call home. Some see Diwali’s rituals as incompatible with their faith, choosing instead to retreat into quiet prayer while the world outside bursts into celebration. Others light their own lamps, not in worship of Hindu deities, but as a cultural embrace of the community around them.

Many Jews have faced similar challenges in Christian lands. I think a third way can be found in the Catholic Bible’s Books of the Maccabees. Every year in December (starting the evening of December 15 this year), Jewish people throughout the world, celebrate the eight day holiday of Hanukah. If you ask any Jew to tell you how Hanukah began, or why Jews celebrate this festival for eight days, they will relate this story.

Once a Syrian Greek king polluted the Holy Temple in Jerusalem by erecting a statue in it. Then, after more than three years of fighting, Judah the Maccabee and his warriors recaptured the holy Temple in Jerusalem, and began to purify it.

But all the pure olive oil for the lamp that should burn continuously had been polluted except for one little jar of oil that miraculously burned for eight days.

This Hanukah story is about two kinds of battle; the physical struggle against others (political and sometimes military); and the spiritual struggle within ourselves to trust in God (the oil).



When the Maccabees recaptured and rededicated (Hanukah) the Temple in Jerusalem in 164 b.c.e. the physical struggle for religious freedom and independence did not end. It went on for another 25 years until full independence was attained.

But the spiritual struggle (oil) miraculously lasted only for eight days.

Look at the oldest written sources. About four or five decades after the first Hanukah, two books were written about the Maccabean Wars and the rededication (Hanukah) of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

The First Book of Maccabees, compiled sometime before 130 b.c.e., was originally written in Hebrew. Today all we have is an early Greek translation. Its intended audience was the Jewish community in the Land of Israel. It describes the recapture of the Jerusalem Temple, its purification and rededication (Hanukah).

“They also made new sacred vessels, and they brought the lamp stand … into the Temple. They burned incense on the altar and lit the lights on the lamp stand, and the Temple was filled with light…. For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar. … Then Judah, his brothers and the entire community of Israel decreed that the days of rededication of the altar should be celebrated with a festival of joy and gladness at this same time every year beginning on the 25th of the month of Kislev and lasting for eight days. (First Maccabees 4:49-59)

This first ancient source does not mention the “little jar of oil” miracle. At that time, the miracle was the victory itself, that God had enabled the Jews in Israel to physically and militarily defeat the far mightier Syrian Greek Empire.

The Second Book of Maccabees, was compiled a decade or two after First Maccabees, and covers most of the same period, but was written in Greek for the Jewish community outside the land of Israel. That Jewish community, whose primary language was Greek, was concentrated largely in the bustling port city of Alexandria in Egypt.

The purpose of Second Maccabees, clearly stated in the two letters that open the book, is to urge the Jews of Alexandria to adopt this new festival. The author states that his source for the history of the Maccabean war was a (now lost) larger five-volume history by one Jason of Cyrene.

Second Maccabees describes the purification of the Temple, adding significant information that is not found in First Maccabees: “Judah the Maccabee and his men, under the Lord’s leadership, recaptured the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. … After purifying the Temple, they built a new altar; made a new fire; … offered sacrifices and incense … and lit the lamps. … On the anniversary of the very same day on which the Temple had been defiled, the 25th of Kislev, they now purified the Temple.

“They celebrated joyfully for eight days, just as on Hajj Sukkot, knowing that (only two months before) on Hajj Sukkot (google my article on the Biblical holiday of Hajj Sukkot) they had spent the festival (hiding) like wild animals in the mountains and caves. That is why they now came carrying palm fronds and fruit, and singing hymns of praise to God, who had given them the victory that brought about the purification of His Temple.

“By a vote of the community they decreed that the whole Jewish nation should celebrate these festival days every year. (Second Maccabees 10:1-8)

The story of the small jar of oil that lasted much longer than anyone expected, is not mentioned in the early sources because they focus on the physical military battle to liberate the Jerusalem temple from Greek rule and restore Jewish political independence.

However, two and a half centuries later, the Holy Temple and Jerusalem itself were in ruins. In the generations following the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 c.e. the Jewish people would have despaired, and become discouraged and depressed. They might even have lost faith in God when the Romans built a new pagan city on Jerusalem’s ruins; with a Roman Temple filled with statues of Roman Gods in its center..

So the rabbis started emphasizing the spiritual internal battle needed for Jewish survival. Everyone, even small children, need to believe in a better future. All of us need to avoid negativeness. Everyone needs to have faith and trust in God.

When the Maccabees realized that it would take a week or more to produce the ritually pure olive oil needed for the lamp that must burn continually before the (Sakina) Holy Ark, most of them wanted to delay the Hanukah celebration because they feared disappointing and dismaying their supporters if the light went out and spoiled the eight day celebration.

Only a minority led by a young girl, favored using the little jar of oil that they had found, and trusting that somehow it would be enough. As the rabbis expressed it in the Talmud (Shabbat 21b): “Why Hanukkah? Our rabbis taught: ‘On the 25th day of Kislev begin the eight days of Hanukkah on which mourning and fasting are forbidden.

“For when the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all the oil; and when the Maccabees prevailed and defeated them, they searched and found only one jar of oil with the official seal of the High Priest, but which was only enough for one day’s lighting.

“Yet a miracle occurred, and they lit the lamp with it for eight days. The following year these days were decreed a festival with the recital of Psalms and thanksgiving.”

Notice that the miracle is two fold. That the oil lasted is a physical miracle. That they lit it, knowing it couldn’t last, is the spiritual miracle. To this day we still use one candle to ignite all the other Hanukah candles.

And to this day we acknowledge that the greater jihad is more important than the lesser jihad because the Jewish people are still here; long after the Greek and Roman Empires have disappeared.

Rabbi Allen S. Maller
Allen Maller retired in 2006 after 39 years as Rabbi of Temple Akiba in Culver City, Calif. He is the author of an introduction to Jewish mysticism. God. Sex and Kabbalah and editor of the Tikun series of High Holy Day prayerbooks.

 

Gold smuggling surges in India as price spikes before festivals

Reuters | October 16, 2025 | 

Gold is used extensively in jewellery, as offerings to Gods and in weddings. (Image by Parekh Cards, Flickr)

Gold smuggling into India has spiked ahead of key festivals, government and industry officials told Reuters, in response to record-high prices and a supply crunch.

Smuggling of gold into the world’s second biggest buyer of the precious metal had fallen after the government slashed import taxes on it to 6% from 15% last year.

However, Customs and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials said smuggling has increased in recent weeks, with several attempts foiled at several Indian airports.

Bringing gold into India and liquidating it used to be time-consuming and risky, but with strong festival demand and limited supply smugglers can now convert it in just a few hours, said a Chennai-based bullion dealer.

Indians will celebrate the Dhanteras and Diwali festivals this month, occasions when buying gold is considered auspicious and among the busiest days for purchases of the precious metal.

Gold prices in India hit a record 128,395 rupees per 10 grams on Thursday, marking a 67% rise so far this year.

At this price smuggling a kilogram of gold is very lucrative for grey market operators, with margins exceeding 1.15 million rupees from dodging the 6% import duty and a 3% local sales tax.

“As gold prices keep climbing, smugglers are making bigger bucks. The payoff is now super tempting for them,” said a Mumbai-based senior bullion dealer, who declined to be named.

After import duties were cut in July, the margin for smugglers had fallen to 630,000 rupees per kilogram.

Investors are now chasing gold, creating supply tightness and pushing up premiums, the bullion dealer said.

Meanwhile, banks are unable to meet the full demand and are charging very high premiums on the available stock, said a Kolkata-based jeweller.

Indian dealers were this week quoting a premium of up to $25 per ounce over official domestic prices, the highest in more than a decade.

In the 2024/25 fiscal year ended in March, government agencies registered 3,005 cases of gold smuggling and seized 2.6 metric tons of the metal.

(By Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Alexander Smith)

India central bank’s gold pile tops $100 billion on surging bullion prices

Reuters | October 17, 2025 

Reserve bank of India. Stock image.

India’s gold reserves crossed the $100 billion mark for the first time, according to the Reserve Bank of India’s latest foreign exchange reserves data, buoyed by a global price rally even as the central bank’s purchases slowed sharply this year.

India’s gold holdings rose by $3.595 billion to $102.365 billion in the week through October 10, RBI data showed on Friday, while overall foreign exchange reserves declined $2.18 billion to $697.784 billion.

The share of gold in India’s total reserves climbed to 14.7%, the highest since 1996-97, according to traders.

Gold’s share in India’s foreign exchange reserves has almost doubled over the past decade — from below 7% to nearly 15% — reflecting both steady central bank accumulation and a surge in global bullion prices.

That’s led to the $100 billion milestone being hit despite a marked slowdown in the RBI’s gold purchases this year.

The central bank bought gold in only four of the first nine months of 2025, compared with near-monthly additions in 2024, according to World Gold Council data.

Cumulative buying from January to September stood at just 4 tons, sharply lower than 50 tons in the same period a year earlier.

The share of gold in India’s foreign exchange reserves has increased significantly, largely driven by valuation gains from the rising gold price, said Kavita Chacko, research head for India at the World Gold Council.

Gold has surged about 65% in 2025, powered by a potent mix of macroeconomic, institutional and psychological drivers.

Global central banks continue to accumulate gold as part of reserve diversification away from the US dollar — a trend spurred by heightened geopolitical risks, sanctions pressures and de-dollarization.

India is the world’s second-largest consumer of gold and relies on imports to meet demand. Buying gold is deeply rooted in Indian culture, driven by tradition and its role as both an investment and a status symbol.

(By Nimesh Vora and Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Ronojoy Mazumdar)

 

Record gold prices in India fail to unlock scrap supply

Reuters | September 17, 2025 | 1

Stock image.

Supplies of used gold jewellery and coins, typically released when investors book profits, have been scarce in India, as many expect bullion prices to continue climbing even after reaching new highs almost every week.

This contrasts with March, when spot gold first crossed $3,000 an ounce and retail customers rushed to sell their holdings, triggering a surge in scrap supply.

“Indians now believe gold prices will rise even higher, which is why they’re choosing to hold their assets instead of selling them for a profit,” James Jose, managing director of refiner CGR Metalloys said on the sidelines of the India Gold Conference in New Delhi.

Local gold prices, which scaled a record peak of 110,666 rupees ($1,260.94) per 10 grams earlier this week, have risen 42% year-to-date, after gaining 21% last year.

Scrap supplies typically rise when prices climb too high too quickly, as was the case with prices in recent months, said Harshad Ajmera of wholesaler JJ Gold House in Kolkata.

“Consumers now think prices could even touch 125,000 rupees, so they’re holding on to their gold instead of selling,” he said.

Although rising prices have made new jewellery unaffordable for many consumers, they are increasingly exchanging old pieces for new ones, said Amit Modak, chief executive of PN Gadgil and Sons, a Pune-based jeweller.

Refiners are sourcing scrap from replaced jewellery to sustain operations, as imports of dore – a semi-pure alloy produced by miners – have declined sharply, said Ajmera.

The limited supply of scrap ahead of the festive season is a boon for banks, as jewellers increasingly turn to them to meet demand from imported gold.

Indians will celebrate Dussehra and Diwali in October, festivals during which buying gold is considered auspicious.

Rising prices usually trigger deep discounts as scrap floods the market, but limited supplies are allowing banks to charge a $1 premium even at record price levels, said a Mumbai-based jeweller with a bullion importing bank.

India’s gold imports in August jumped 37% from a month ago to $5.4 billion, trade ministry data showed.

($1 = 87.7650 Indian rupees)

(By Rajendra Jadhav and Brijesh Patel; Editing by Leroy Leo)

Modi vows to shield Indian farmers and small firms against US tariffs

/ The White House Cropped

Feedly

By bno Chennai Office August 26, 2025

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signalled in a speech that his government would not bend under pressure from the US as tariffs on Indian goods are set to take effect. Speaking in Ahmedabad, Modi told farmers, shopkeepers and small entrepreneurs that their interests would remain his priority despite mounting global trade tensions, according to a press release by India’s Press Information Bureau.

The remarks came hours before the US administration of President Donald Trump was due to impose higher duties on a range of Indian exports after withdrawing preferential trade benefits and imposing 25% tariffs as reciprocal tariffs and another 25% tariffs on top of that for buying and profiteering from refining and reselling Russian hydrocarbons.

Washington had argued that India did not provide fair access to American companies, as well as enabling Russia’s war in Ukraine by not only funding its state coffers but also not caring for the lives lost on the Ukrainian side. In an August 20 2025 press briefing, US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to the measures as sanctions on India which was not only received poorly in India but likely strengthened the hand of anti-US voices in New Delhi’s policy circles.

While New Delhi and Washington were reportedly close to concluding a free trade pact or at least a trade deal of some magnitude in February 2025, the following months have seen all that progress being virtually lost and bilateral relations stall if not regress altogether. 

India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry has been preparing a set of retaliatory measures targeting US farm products and steel items. Officials indicated that the counter-tariffs would cover about INR16.7bn ($240mn) worth of imports.

India had earlier delayed the implementation of these duties while talks were ongoing, but the collapse of discussions prompted New Delhi to reconsider. Modi’s comments stressed resilience, saying his government would continue to strengthen its ability to withstand external shocks. He underlined that the administration would not allow harm to small businesses, cultivators or livestock rearers, even if outside pressure intensified.

The dispute follows India’s rapid expansion as one of the fastest-growing major economies, which has sharpened trade frictions with partners. Analysts suggest New Delhi’s firm line reflects both domestic political commitments and its intent to be treated on equal footing in global trade negotiations. 

India braces for export shock as 50% US tariff takes effect

Copyright AP/Manish Swarup

By AP with Eleanor Butler
Published on 27/08/2025 

The duty rate US President Donald Trump has placed on Indian goods is among the highest in the world.

India is bracing for a sharp blow to its overseas trade as steep US tariffs take effect on a range of Indian products on Wednesday.

The move threatens over half of India’s exports to its largest market and highlights the fragile trade ties between the two countries.

President Donald Trump had initially announced a 25% tariff on Indian goods but he signed an executive order earlier this month, imposing an additional 25% tariff due to India’s purchases of Russian oil. That brought the combined tariffs imposed by the United States on its ally to 50%.

The Indian government estimates the tariffs will impact $48.2 billion (€41.5bn) worth of exports. Officials have warned the new duties could make shipments to the US commercially unviable, triggering job losses and slower economic growth.

India–US trade relations have expanded in recent years but remain vulnerable to disputes over market access and domestic political pressures. India is one of the fastest-growing major global economies and it may face a subsequent slowdown.

Sectors to be impacted by US tariffs

Estimates by New Delhi-based think tank, Global Trade Research Initiative, suggest labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, food and automobiles will be hit hardest.

“The new tariff regime is a strategic shock that threatens to wipe out India’s long-established presence in the US, causing unemployment in export-driven hubs and weakening its role in the industrial value chain,” said Ajay Srivastava, the think tank's founder and a former Indian trade official.

The US has for now exempted some sectors such as pharmaceuticals and electronic goods from additional tariffs, bringing some relief for India as its exposure in these sectors is significant.

Exporters fear losses

Puran Dawar, a leather footwear exporter in northern India’s Agra city, says the industry would take a substantial hit in the near term unless domestic demand strengthens and other overseas markets buy more Indian goods.

“This is an absolute shock,” said Dawar, whose business with the US has grown in recent years. Dawar’s clients include the major fashion retailer Zara.

Dawar, who is also the regional chairman of the Council for Leather Exports — an export promotion body — said the US should understand that the steep tariffs will hurt its own consumers.

Groups representing exporters warn that new import tariffs could hurt India’s small and medium enterprises that are heavily reliant on the American market.

“It’s a tricky situation. Some product lines will simply become unviable overnight,” said Ajay Sahai, director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations.
Modi vows not to yield to US pressure

The tariffs come as the US administration continues to push for greater access to India’s agriculture and dairy sectors.

India and the US have held five rounds of negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement, but have yet to reach a deal. That's largely because New Delhi has resisted opening these sectors to cheaper American imports, citing concerns that would endanger jobs of millions of Indians who rely on them for their livelihoods.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed not to yield to the pressure.

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India attacks US and Europe's 'double standards' in their trade relationship with Russia

“For me, the interests of farmers, small businesses and dairy are topmost. My government will ensure they aren’t impacted,” Modi said at a rally this week in his home state of Gujarat.

He said the world was witnessing “politics of economic selfishness".

A US delegation cancelled plans to visit New Delhi this week for a sixth round of trade talks.

India plans local reforms to cushion the blow from tariffs

The government has begun working on reforms to boost local consumption and insulate the economy.

It has moved to change the goods and services tax, or consumption tax, to lower costs for insurance, cars and appliances ahead of the major Hindu festival of Diwali in October.

The government council is set to meet early next month to decide on cutting taxes.

The trade ministry and finance ministry are discussing financial incentives that would include favourable bank loan rates for exporters.

The trade ministry also is weighing steps to expand exports to other regions, particularly Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia. Trade negotiations underway with the European Union could gain renewed urgency as India works to reduce its dependence on the US market.