New Delhi's forced-labour crackdown saves billions in export duties
Today at a glance
India escaped a steeper 12.5% US tariff on exports after tightening forced-labour rules, landing at 10% instead. Meanwhile, Delhi witnessed massive street protests demanding educational reforms, with police using pellet guns on demonstrators. On the sporting front, Jhandu Kumar won India's first Commonwealth Games medal in Glasgow, while wildfires forced evacuations across Madrid and southern France.
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Delhi police fire pellet guns at cockroach protesters
India1 min read
Thousands marched through Delhi demanding sweeping educational reforms in what's being called the 'cockroach protests'. Videos circulating online show police firing pellet guns at demonstrators, drawing widespread condemnation from civil rights groups. The protests, named after a viral social media campaign, call for curriculum changes and improved school infrastructure. Authorities have not yet released casualty figures, but multiple injuries have been reported. The movement has rapidly spread to other cities including Mumbai and Bangalore.
India has avoided a steeper 12.5% tariff on exports to the United States, instead facing a 10% Section 301 duty that took effect Friday. The move comes after New Delhi tightened regulations against forced-labour imports, satisfying Washington's concerns about supply chain ethics. The tariff applies to a range of Indian goods, but trade analysts say the lower rate will save exporters billions in duties. India's textile and manufacturing sectors had lobbied hard for the concession. This marks a rare win in an otherwise tense US-India trade relationship under the current administration.
A quote by Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew has gone viral on Indian social media today: 'I do not yet know of a man who became a leader as a result of having undergone a leadership course.' The quote has sparked debate about India's mushrooming leadership training industry, with critics arguing that character and experience matter more than certificates. Business schools and corporate training firms have pushed back, defending their curricula. The discussion comes as India's startup ecosystem faces a leadership crisis amid high-profile failures. Lee's pragmatic approach to governance continues to influence policy discussions in India decades after his passing.
More than 160,000 people have been evacuated across France and Spain as firefighters struggle to contain massive wildfires. Madrid officials called it the 'worst fire in the history of the region', with flames threatening residential areas on the city's outskirts. In France, a separate blaze is advancing towards Bordeaux, forcing authorities to deploy emergency resources. Climate scientists link the severity to record-breaking temperatures across southern Europe this summer. Emergency services from neighbouring countries have been called in to assist. India angle: Indian firefighting experts have been requested to share wildfire management techniques developed during recent forest fires in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
India's Jhandu Kumar won bronze in the men's heavyweight para powerlifting event at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, marking the country's first medal of the 2026 edition. The 31-year-old from Haryana lifted an impressive total to secure third place on the podium. Day 2 brought mixed results for India across other events, with several athletes narrowly missing medal finishes. The para powerlifting triumph has energized the Indian contingent, which arrived in Scotland with high expectations. India currently ranks eighth in the overall medal tally. The Games continue through August 2.
India's Commonwealth Games campaign enters its third day with 15 events scheduled across multiple sports. Key fixtures include women's hockey, wrestling preliminaries, and track cycling qualifiers. Boxer Nitu Ghanghas faces her quarterfinal bout at 2:30 PM IST, while the men's table tennis team takes on Nigeria in a must-win group match. Badminton star PV Sindhu begins her singles campaign at 4:00 PM IST against a Scottish opponent. Wrestling fans will watch closely as India's grapplers compete in six weight categories. The schedule promises a packed day of action from Glasgow, with medal prospects in at least four disciplines.
