India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have further strengthened their already robust partnership by signing a new Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) on August 31, 2024. This agreement, along with several other key agreements, highlights the commitment of both nations to boost economic cooperation and bilateral investments. With an investment of US$19 billion by the UAE in India from 2000 to 2024, this new treaty aims to provide key protections for investors from both countries and maintain a resilient investment environment.
India's medal tally at the 2024 Paris Paralympics continues to rise, with Avani Lekhara, Mona Agarwal, Preethi Pal and Manish Narwal clinching medals on day 2. Avani Lekhara made history by winning gold in women's 10m air rifle (SH1) shooting, while Mona Agarwal won bronze in the same event. Preethi Pal won India's first track event medal in the Paralympics with a bronze in women's T35 100m competition. In addition, Manish Narwal secured a silver in men's 10m air pistol (SH1) event. The momentum will continue as Mandeep Kaur competes in Para Badminton women's singles.
India's highly decorated Paralympic team is gearing up for the upcoming competition in Paris starting August 29th. With a record 84 athletes, India is taking the momentum from their stellar performance at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics, where they secured a total of 19 medals. Athletics has been a strong suit for India at the Paralympics, accounting for 18 of their 31 medals in the history of their participation.
The government has clarified that the deadline for filing income tax returns (ITR) for FY2023-24 remains July 31, 2024, despite claims on social media of an extension till August 31st. The confusion stemmed from a misinterpretation of an advisory from the Press Registrar General of India, which was meant for a specific set of annual returns and not for individual income tax returns. The government has also introduced a new tax regime to simplify the tax structure and reduce the tax burden for taxpayers.