"Indian nationals also continue to be the top nationality granted 'Worker' visas, accounting for 39 per cent of the total with 56,042 visas issued. An increase of 26,490 (+90 per cent) as compared to 2019 (29,552)," British High Commission said.

New Delhi Apr 27 PTI The best way to deal with the conflict in Ukraine would be to focus on stopping the fighting and getting the talking to move forward and Indias position on the crisis is best placed to advance such an approach External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on WednesdayHis comments came in response to a question at an interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue Indias premier foreign policy and geo-economics conferenceJaishankar on Tuesday countered criticism of Indias position on Russias actions in Ukraine saying Western powers have been oblivious to the pressing challenges in Asia including last years developments in AfghanistanWe spent a lot of time yesterday on Ukraine and I have tried to explain what our views are but also explained that in our minds the best way forward is to focus on stopping the fighting getting the talking and finding ways of moving forward We think our choices our positions are best placed to advance that he saidIndia has not yet publiclycondemnedthe Russian attack on Ukraine and has been calling for the resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacyIn his address Jaishankar talked about Indias 75-year-long journey after Independence and highlighted how the country played a key role in promoting democracy in South AsiaReflecting on areas where India came up short the external affairs minister listed a lack of adequate attention to human resources and manufacturing and mentioned that probably not much attention was given to hard security as part of foreign policyAsked about what should be the priority for the country in the next 25 years Jaishankar said capability development in all possible areas should be the central focusWe have to be confident about who we are I think it is better to engage the world on the basis of who we areThis idea that others define us somehow we need to get the approval of other quarters I think that is an era we need to put behind us Jaishankar saidHe hoped that India will be deeply more international in terms of its commitments responsibilities and roles in the next 25 yearsWe should not be looking at the world with a sense of entitlement We need to earn our place in the world and which to a certain extent therefore comes to the issue of how the world benefits from the growth of India We need to demonstrate that he saidThe external affairs minister was asked what India expects from the worldThere is a lot of talk about reliable and resilient supply chains and people speak about transparency and trusted technologies If India could do more and show the rest of the world that the world benefits by India being bigger Jaishankar saidSo we need to develop stakes in our future whether the rest of the world is concerned I think some of that is happening for strategic reasons obviously but we need to make more of it happen especially for economic reasons he added PTI MPB DV DV

New Delhi Apr 26 PTI With2483newcoronavirus infections being reported in a day Indias total tally of COVID-19 cases roseto43062569while the active cases dipped to15636 according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on TuesdayThe death toll climbed to523622 as Assam reconciled 1347 deaths and Kerala 47 due to the infectionthe dataupdatedat 8 am statedThe total cases discharges and deaths provided by Assam in its media bulletin have been considered along with the number of Covid positive patients dead due to other reasons to reflect the current figures The state has reported zero deaths in the last 24 hours the Union Health ministry saidKerala also reported zero deaths in the last 24 hours and 47 deaths were declared as per appeal The active cases comprise 004 per cent of the total infections while the national COVID-19 recovery ratewas recorded as 9875 per cent the ministry saidA reduction of 886cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hoursThe daily positivity rate was recorded as 055per cent and the weekly positivity rate as058 per cent according to the ministryThenumber of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 42523311 while the case fatality rate was 122 per cent The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded18795 crore Indias COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 2020 30 lakh on August 23 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16 It went past 60 lakh on September 28 70 lakh on October 11 crossed 80 lakh on October 29 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19 The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year PTI PLB DV DV

New Delhi Apr 26 PTI With2483newcoronavirus infections being reported in a day Indias total tally of COVID-19 cases roseto43062569while the active cases dipped to15636 according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on TuesdayThe death toll climbed to 523622 with 1399 new fatalities as Assam reconciled 1347 deaths and Kerala 47 due to the infection the data updated at 8 am statedThe total cases discharge and deaths provided by Assam in its media bulletin have been considered along with the number of Covid positive patients dead due to other reasons to reflect the current figures The state has reported zero deaths in the last 24 hours the Union Health ministry saidKerala also reported zero deaths in the last 24 hours and 47 deaths were declared as per appeal The active cases comprise 004 per cent of the total infections while the national COVID-19 recovery ratewas recorded as 9875 per cent the ministry saidA reduction of 886cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hoursThe daily positivity rate was recorded as 055per cent and the weekly positivity rate as058 per cent according to the ministryThenumber of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 42523311 while the case fatality rate was 122 per cent The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded18795 crore Indias COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 2020 30 lakh on August 23 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16 It went past 60 lakh on September 28 70 lakh on October 11 crossed 80 lakh on October 29 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19 The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last yearApart from Assam and Kerala four deaths were reported from Punjab and one from DelhiThe ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbiditiesOur figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research the ministry said on its website adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation PTI PLB DV DV

New Delhi Apr 25 PTI President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said that it is important for India and European Union EU to engage in strategic and geo-political avenues such as in the Indo-Pacific apart from deepening economic relations In areas such as climate action clean energy sustainable growth digital transformation and research innovation the EU will remain an important partner for achieving Indias high ambition in these areas Kovind said during his meeting with Ursula Von der Leyen the President of European Commission Welcoming the European Commission President to India the president said that India and the European Union are two most vibrant democracies two of the largest open market economies and pluralistic societies Ursula Von der Leyen has called on the president at Rashtrapati Bhavan here Kovind said that India and European Union share a common perspective on many regional and global issues including a shared commitment to promoting an international rule based order based on reformed and effective multilateralismThe strategic partnership that India and EU share is one of the most important relationships for the upcoming decade and strengthening this relationship is a priority for India as it is for the EU a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan saidSpeaking about trade and investment between India and EU the president stated that EU is Indias largest trading partner in goods and also one of the most important sources of Foreign Direct InvestmentHe said that an India-EU Free Trade Agreement would unlock the full potential of India-EU economic relationsKovind stressed that as free-market economies and worlds largest democracies it is important for like-minded countries like India and the EU to deepen its economic engagementThe president said that apart from deepening our economic relations it is important for India and the EU to engage in strategic and geo-political avenues such as in the Indo-PacificWe look forward to the EU and its member states joining the pillars of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative India believes that a more Strategic EU in the Indo-Pacific region would contribute to the regions stability Kovind saidIn a tweet the Rashtrapati Bhavan has said that President of the European Commission vonderleyen called on KovindBoth leaders discussed broadening of India-EU partnership in political and strategic areas as well as trade economy climate sustainability digital connectivity it tweeted PTI AKV RCJ

New Delhi Apr 25 PTI With2541newcoronavirus infections being reported in a day Indias total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 43060086 while the active cases increased to16522 according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday Thedeath toll climbed to 522223 with 30 fresh fatalitiesthe data updated at 8 am statedThe active cases comprise 004 per cent of the total infections while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded as 9875 per cent the ministry said An increase of 649cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hoursThe dailypositivity rate was recorded as 084per cent and the weekly positivity rate as054 per cent according to the ministry Thenumber of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 42521341 while the case fatality rate was 121 per cent The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded18771 crore Indias COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 2020 30 lakh on August 23 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16 It went past 60 lakh on September 28 70 lakh on October 11 crossed 80 lakh on October 29 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19 The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year PTI PLB DV DV

New Delhi Apr 24 PTI With several festivals coming up Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to stay alert of the coronavirus and continue to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour such as wearing masks and washing handsIn his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast Modi said that in the coming days the festival of Eid Akshaya Tritiya birth anniversary of Bhagwan Parashuram and Vaishakh Budh Purnima will be celebratedAll these festivals are festivals of restraint purity charity and harmony Advance greetings to all of you on the occasion of these festivals Celebrate these festivals with great gaiety and harmony Modi saidIn the midst of all this you also have to be alert of corona virus Wearing a mask washing hands at regular intervals whatever are the necessary measures for prevention keep following them the prime minister stressedModi will hold a meeting with chief ministers on the emerging COVID-19 situation in the country on Wednesday through video conference official sources had said on SaturdayUnion Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan will make a presentation on the matter they saidWith 2593 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day Indias total tally of cases rose to 43057545 while the active cases increased to 15873 according to Union health ministry data updated on SundayThe death toll climbed to 522193 with 44 fresh fatalities the data updated at 8 am statedThe cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 18767 crore PTI ASK KR ASK ANB ANB

New Delhi Apr 24 PTI With 2593newcoronavirus infections being reported in a day Indias total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 43057545while the active cases increased to15873 according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday The death toll climbed to522193 with 44 fresh fatalitiesthe data updated at 8 am stated The active cases comprise 004 per cent of the total infections while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded as 9875 per cent the ministry said An increase of 794cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hoursThe dailypositivity rate was recorded as 059per cent and the weekly positivity rate as054per cent according to the ministry Thenumber of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 42519479 while the case fatality rate was 121 per cent The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded18767 crore Indias COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 2020 30 lakh on August 23 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16 It went past 60 lakh on September 28 70 lakh on October 11 crossed 80 lakh on October 29 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19 The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year PTI PLB DV DV

New Delhi Apr 23 PTI Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting with chief ministers on the emerging COVID-19 situation in the country on Wednesday through video conference official sources said on SaturdayUnion Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan will make a presentation on the matter they saidWith 2527coronavirus infections being reported in a day Indias total tally of cases rose to 43054952 while active cases have increased to 15079 according to Union health ministry data updated on SaturdayThe death toll has climbed to 522149 with 33 fatalities the data updated at 8 am statedThe active cases comprise 004 per cent of the total infectionswhile the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 9875 per cent the health ministry saidAn increase of 838cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in 24 hours PTI PLB NSD

New Delhi Apr 23 PTI With 2527coronavirus infections being reported in a day Indias total tally of cases rose to 43054952 while active cases have increased to 15079 according to Union health ministry data updated on SaturdayThe death toll has climbed to 522149 with 33 fatalities the data updated at 8 am statedThe active cases comprise 004 per cent of the total infectionswhile the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 9875 per cent the health ministry saidAn increase of 838cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hoursThe daily positivity rate has been recorded at 056per cent and the weekly positivity rate at050 per cent according to the health ministryThe number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 42517724 while the case fatality rate has been recorded at121 per centThe cumulative doses administered so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 18746croreIndias COVID-19 tally had crossed two crore cases on May 4 and three crore cases on June 23 last year PTI PLB ANB ANB