Maharashtra, India's most industrialised state and home to its financial capital Mumbai, has been accounting for more than 60% of the country's total cases after a full-scale reopening of its economy unleashed a second wave of infections late last month.
The self-ruled democratic island has signed contracts to purchase 10 million AstraZeneca doses, as well as around 5 million doses each from Moderna and the international Covax scheme.
The central bank will also give its own revised forecast for economic growth this year on Thursday, having predicted a 3.68% expansion at its last quarterly meeting in December, with exports expanding strongly.
China will resolutely deter any separatist activity seeking Taiwan’s independence but is committed to promoting the peaceful growth of relations across the Taiwan Strait and China’s “reunification”, Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday.
Two U.S. carrier groups conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea on Tuesday, days after a U.S. warship sailed near Chinese-controlled islands in the disputed waters, as China denounced the United States for damaging peace and stability.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the frequent moves by U.S. warships and aircraft into the South China Sea in a “show of force” was not conducive to regional peace and stability.
China toughened its language towards Taiwan on Thursday, warning after recent stepped up military activities near the island that “independence means war” and that its armed forces were acting in response to provocation and foreign interference.
Taiwan's chip foundries are some of the world's biggest and most advanced, and so European car manufacturers have been reaching out to Taipei for help.