Diablogeek

 With tensions between India and Pakistan on the rise, defence spending in the region is expected to accelerate, fueling a renewed arms race. A Moneycontrol analysis reveals that while India’s reactions tend to be measured, Pakistan historically ramps up its military expenditures sharply after each major incident — a trend that typically lasts two to four years. According to World Bank data, Pakistan’s annual defence spending growth had slowed to single digits by 2016. However, after India’s Uri surgical strikes in 2016, Pakistan’s military spending surged, doubling to 14.1% in 2017. The following year, 2018, saw an even sharper rise of 17.5% — marking the highest annual jump in seven years. Looking further back, after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistan’s defence budget swelled significantly, rising from 13.4% growth in 2008 to 17.1% in 2009. Over the next four years, Pakistan maintained an average annual increase of 17.4% in military spending. A similar pattern emerged du...

 The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday left interest rates unchanged for the fourth consecutive meeting but made notable adjustments to its policy statement, reflecting rising concerns over the economic fallout from President Donald Trump’s escalating tariff measures. While maintaining the benchmark rate at 4.25% to 4.5%, the Fed introduced fresh language addressing trade-driven volatility. “Although swings in net exports have affected the data, recent indicators suggest that economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace,” the statement noted. This marked the first explicit reference to export conditions in the current cycle — a clear acknowledgment of the mounting pressure from the ongoing trade war. Growth Holds Steady, But Tariff Tensions Cast a Shadow The term “solid pace” has appeared in every Fed statement since January 2024 — including this latest one — despite GDP figures last week revealing the first economic contraction in three years. Importantly, the Fed al...

 India has reportedly offered to slash its tariff gap with the United States by nearly two-thirds—from around 13% to below 4%—in a bid to secure a trade agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to two sources familiar with the matter. If accepted, the proposal would narrow the average tariff difference between the two nations by 9 percentage points. This change would apply across a broad range of goods and would mark one of the most significant moves by India to reduce trade barriers in its economy—the fifth-largest in the world. The U.S. remains India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $129 billion in 2024. However, the trade relationship is imbalanced, with India maintaining a $45.7 billion surplus. The news follows Trump’s recent announcement of his administration’s first “breakthrough deal” with the United Kingdom. That deal reduces average British tariffs on U.S. goods while preserving a 10% base tariff on British exports to ...

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