In a landmark two-day visit (December 4–5, 2025) by Vladimir Putin to New Delhi, the governments of India and Russia unveiled one of the most extensive packages of bilateral agreements in recent years.
Recent tariff negotiations have also strengthened Pakistan’s position. Islamabad successfully reduced US reciprocal tariffs from 29 per cent to 19 per cent, a move projected to enhance access to US markets.
The minister informed that a 50 per cent rebate in the revenue share for coal used in gasification has been introduced in commercial coal block auctions, provided that at least 10 per cent of the total coal production is used for gasification purposes.
The UN appeal comes at a moment when humanitarian funding is already stretched by multiple crises. While CERF has provided rapid support, broader donor commitments remain insufficient relative to the scale of projected need.
South Asia’s lead crisis is not inevitable. Experience elsewhere demonstrates that decisive regulation, industrial formalisation and community-level interventions can sharply reduce exposure.
The UN appeal comes at a moment when humanitarian funding is already stretched by multiple crises. While CERF has provided rapid support, broader donor commitments remain insufficient relative to the scale of projected need.