People are swooning over an Army woman named Jessica Foster who was seen posing with an F-22 Raptor, dressed in camouflage in desert settings, and even appearing alongside Donald Trump. People are going gaga over the woman, but the reality is different. Experts said there was no public record of Foster’s military service and that the account, despite not being labelled AI, contained many indicators that she was fake. Between many of her pro-Trump posts, Foster also prominently displayed her feet, Washington Post reported.Foster’s viral rise highlighted what researchers described as a growing strategy to win online attention, with right-wing accounts mixing patriotism and soft-core pornography using fake women and convincing imagery to attract viewers, monetise interest and score political points.Accounts showing AI-generated women posing as Trump-supporting soldiers, truckers and police officers built large audiences on TikTok, Instagram and X, where thousands of commenters posted responses suggesting they believed the women were real.A similar pattern played out in recent weeks beyond the United States, with hundreds of AI-generated videos showing Iranian female soldiers and pilots cheering on the nation’s military spreading online, as the BBC first reported. One sign they were fake was that Iran bans women from combat roles.Sam Gregory, executive director of Witness, a video-advocacy group that researches deepfakes, said Foster exemplified how deceptive AI video generators can be. He said AI advances made it easier to create a consistent fake character across multiple photos or videos and place the character next to real public figures, making it appear the character was central to real events.By applying political trappings and current events to these characters’ fake lives, their creators probably hoped to maximise virality and stand out online, Gregory said. He said that once creators gained attention, they could, as in Foster’s case, direct users to a paid platform where they were asked to pay for more explicit scenes.Foster is “the apotheosis of what MAGA fantasizes about, all packed into one channel, but it’s obviously AI: There’s no provenance to the images, no history around her, visible glitches,” he said. “There’s any number of real and unreal beautiful women online, but having one that’s so proximate to power, around the big events of the day, has a different cachet.”The person running the Foster account did not respond to requests for comment. After The Washington Post sought comment, the account on Wednesday posted a new photo showing Foster cruising aboard a military vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.An Army spokeswoman said officials could find no records of Foster. The White House and Meta, which owns Instagram, did not respond to requests for comment.Foster’s first video, posted on Thanksgiving, showed the blue-eyed woman sitting beneath an American flag in a tight shirt and included a caption asking for comments from every “straight guy that likes a American army girl.”In this AI-generated image, the fictional Foster is seen with Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AI-generated image obtained by The Washington Post)In this AI-generated photo, Foster is seen with Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. (AI-generated image obtained by The Washington Post)More than 50 photos and videos followed in the months since, showing meetings with first lady Melania Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin and football star Lionel Messi. Between those moments, Foster made bawdy jokes, gave speeches and joined her female comrades for pillow fights.“Best job in the world,” said a caption with a video last month showing Foster in a helmet and a tactical vest.The posts were described as outlandish, and details in the imagery provided clues, including insignia on her combat and service uniforms that suggested a muddled mix of qualifications, indicating she was either a staff sergeant, a Ranger school graduate or a one-star general.In one photo, she was depicted giving a speech to the “Border of Peace Conference,” described as a bungled version of Trump’s new Board of Peace. In another, she was shown holding a captive Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s former president, and her uniform listed her first name where it should list her last.Thousands of users still posted in her comment sections. Referring to Foster, Silicon Valley investor Justine Moore of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz said in an X post, “I’m genuinely floored by how many dudes are following influencers that are clearly AI.”Foster’s posts received more than 100,000 comments, many from accounts with men in their profile photos. Some users called her out as AI, while many celebrated her looks, sent her heart-eyes emojis or cheered her on.The verified Instagram account of a Brazilian transportation official liked most of her photos and told Foster she was “linda,” or beautiful. Another user asked, “Why do you NEVER reply?” The accounts did not respond to requests for comment.Foster’s Instagram, which included galleries titled “training,” “U.S.,” and “dailyarmy,” originally linked to an account on OnlyFans, a subscription marketplace popular with porn creators. An OnlyFans spokesperson said the account was removed for breaking rules requiring all creators to be verified human adults.In this AI-generated image, Foster is seen in Greenland with two other fake soldiers. (AI-generated image obtained by The Washington Post)Foster later linked viewers to an account on Fanvue, a smaller OnlyFans competitor that allows AI models and labels them as “generated or enhanced.”Her account there, “jessicanextdoor,” listed its location as Fort Bragg, the military base in North Carolina that is home to the Army’s Special Operations Command, and described Foster as a “public servant by day, troublemaker by night??.”The report described the approach as a sales-funnel technique used by influencers to convert free viewers into paying customers for more explicit content. Fanvue declined to share information about the account, which invited viewers to subscribe for “special stuff.”“Btw i respond to every message but be patient since i am not a robot,” the account said, with a winky-face emoji. Within days of its creation, the account received more than 10,000 likes.The report said deception online did not require AI. It cited cases where real women had their photos taken and used to distribute political messaging they did not endorse, including a 2023 case in which a Trump supporter was warped into a left-wing “rage bait” account, and a 2024 case in which European influencers were made to appear as MAGA supporters.Joan Donovan, an assistant professor at Boston University who studies media manipulation, said AI helped such accounts multiply because they were easy to create, endlessly customisable and offered a clear path to making money. She said the political sheen also helped ensure the images appeared in people’s news feeds.Donovan said the biggest risk was that the strategy could be transformed into information warfare, with anonymously run accounts deployed as a “bot army” to distribute propaganda, disinformation or wartime talking points at scale.“The danger of this is that we’re moving toward a society of the unreal,” Donovan said. “It’s one way to get political messaging across, and it’s effective. We don’t even know if selling feet pics is Jessica Foster’s final form.”

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday lauded Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami‘s leadership abilities, calling him “Dhurandhar Dhami.”Addressing a public gathering here on the completion of four years of the Uttarakhand government, the Defence Minister expressed pride and confidence in the government led by CM Dhami and attributed the state’s growth to him. “This gathering has been organised to mark the completion of Pushkar Dhami’s four-year tenure. During the elections, I had told him that the BJP would win under his leadership, and the BJP achieved a clear majority. I had said in a meeting once, ‘Our Dhami is not ordinary, he is Dhakad Dhami… now, he should be called Dhurandhar Dhami. Uttarakhand has secured a leading position in the country across several sectors,” he said. Singh also reminisced about his tenure as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, during which the state of Uttarakhand was formed. “The land of Uttarakhand is the land of the Gods (Devbhoomi). I also served as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand for 10-12 days. It was during my tenure as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh that Uttarakhand was created. Uttarakhand is a land of faith, spirituality, culture, and sages; it is revered as a place of penance,” the Defence Minister said. Furthermore, the Defence Minister reflected on ongoing tensions in West Asia and said that the Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi-led government aims to resolve it through “dialogue and diplomacy.”“Today, the entire world is passing through a period of crisis. This is a matter of concern not just for India, but for the whole world. Even today, our Prime Minister has said that the solution to war will not come through war itself, but through dialogue and diplomacy. A solution to this global problem must be found through conversation and diplomatic efforts,” he said. He further lauded the PM’s efforts in handling a potential energy or fertiliser crisis, which he said could have emerged due to the conflict. “Given the current global crisis, it is possible that, like other countries, we too could have faced an energy or fertilizer crisis. However, through his charismatic wisdom and foresight, our Prime Minister has so far prevented India from getting trapped in this crisis. The efforts being made by our Prime Minister to resolve this crisis at a global level should be supported by Uttarakhand as well.”“Our Prime Minister has held India’s head high in the world in a charismatic manner. Today, when India speaks on international platforms, the world listens with rapt attention,” he added.

NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP-ruled central government over falling rupee and called it “clear signs” that inflation was inevitable. He criticised the Centre’s “empty rhetoric” as the country faces economic restrain due to LPG shortage amid West Asia crisis. He claimed that petrol, diesel, and LPG prices would be hiked after state elections.“The rupee weakening against the dollar and heading towards 100, coupled with a sharp rise in industrial fuel prices—these aren’t just numbers; they’re clear signs of the inflation to come,” Rahul said in a post on X.“The government may call it “normal”, but the reality is: Production and transport will get more expensive; MSMEs will be hit the hardest; the prices of everyday items will go up; FII money will flow out even faster, putting more pressure on the share market” he added.“In other words, it’s bound to have a direct and profound impact on every family’s pocket. And it’s only a matter of time—after the elections, the prices of petrol, diesel, and LPG will be hiked too. The Modi government has neither direction nor strategy—just empty rhetoric. The question isn’t what the government is saying—it’s what’s left on your plate,” he said.Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal added to the concerns and said that Iran’s retaliation would destroy India’s economy “because we are dependent on gas, LPG, and crude oil from there, and it will take years to restore these resources…” “The whole argument that is sought to be made is that we are reliant on the US for our trade… But the fact of the matter is, no trade can perish, and no manufacturing can take place in the country without energy. Where does our energy come from? It comes from the Middle East through the Strait of Hormuz… What leverage will we be left with if our energy resources are depleted… I request the government and the PM that this is not the time to remain silent. Iran’s retaliation for petroleum and gas resources in the Gulf will ultimately destroy our economy because we are dependent on gas, LPG, and crude oil from there, and it will take years to restore these resources,” he said.The rupee plunged to a record low of 93.71 on Friday, tumbling 108 paise from its previous close of 92.63, its steepest single-day fall in four years. The sharp decline comes amid growing concerns that oil prices could remain above $100 for an extended period, as the widening West Asia conflict increasingly targets key energy infrastructure in the region.

Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) preparations for IPL 2026 have taken another major hit, with pacer Akash Deep officially ruled out of the entire season. The 29-year-old becomes the second Indian fast bowler to be sidelined after Harshit Rana, leaving the three-time champions scrambling to rebuild their pace attack just days before their opening match.

The franchise confirmed the development through an official update, putting an end to any hopes of his return this season. “Unfortunately, he is out of the IPL, ruled out for the season,” a KKR official stated.

Akash Deep is understood to be dealing with a stress reaction in his lower back – an injury that typically requires a recovery period of eight to twelve weeks. The issue reportedly surfaced during Bengal’s Ranji Trophy semifinal earlier this year, where he was unable to bowl at full intensity.

Since then, he has not joined the KKR pre-season camp and is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The injury not only sidelines him from the IPL but also raises concerns about his availability for India’s upcoming international assignments.

For KKR, this is a significant blow. Akash Deep was expected to strengthen their domestic pace options after being picked up at the auction, and his absence leaves a noticeable gap in the squad.

Bowling crisis mounts but KKR stay hopeful

Akash Deep’s injury adds to a growing list of concerns for KKR’s bowling unit. Rana has already been ruled out due to a knee injury that required surgery, while marquee signing Matheesha Pathirana is also set to miss the initial matches as he recovers from a calf strain. To make matters worse, Mustafizur Rahman is no longer part of the squad following a BCCI directive.

With multiple key pacers unavailable, KKR’s bowling attack looks significantly weakened heading into the season opener against Mumbai Indians on March 29.

However, mentor Dwayne Bravo remains optimistic and believes the team has enough depth to handle the situation.

“In any tournament with any team, once you lose some of the key bowling options, these are not things you plan for, but these are things you have to accept,” Bravo said. “The good thing about Indian cricket, especially at the moment, is that there is a lot of depth. There’re the likes of Umran Malik, Kartik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora… they are young, exciting talents.”

Bravo also pointed to KKR’s strong spin department as a key advantage, suggesting that the team can still maintain balance despite the setbacks.

“We have the best spin attack in the entire competition, so from a bowling point of view, I think we will be fine,” he added.

Also READ: 5 sixes, 9 fours! KKR young gun unleashes carnage with blistering ton ahead of IPL 2026

Behind the scenes, KKR have already begun searching for replacements. Trials have been conducted at Eden Gardens, with several domestic pacers being evaluated. Names like Navdeep Saini, Akash Madhwal, Simarjeet Singh, KM Asif and Sandeep Warrier are among those being considered.

Among them, Madhwal appears to be a strong contender, thanks to his impressive performances in previous IPL seasons, including a memorable five-wicket haul in a knockout game.

Head coach Abhishek Nayar has indicated that a decision is close, with an announcement expected before the team departs for Mumbai.

While the injury crisis has undoubtedly disrupted KKR’s plans, the franchise remains focused on adapting quickly. With a mix of experienced players and emerging talent, they will aim to overcome these challenges and start their IPL 2026 campaign on a strong note.

For now, it’s a test of resilience – and how well KKR respond could define their season.

Also WATCH: Shubman Gill trolls Abhishek Sharma and SRH in fun segment with Sahiba Bali

NEW DELHI: Nearly six years after India tightened scrutiny of foreign direct investment from countries sharing land borders, the government has initiated a recalibration of the framework governing such investments, allowing minority ownership structures routed through overseas entities to access the automatic route while retaining approval requirements for direct investments from neighbouring jurisdictions.The Union Cabinet on March 10, 2026 has approved an amendment to the policy that amends Press Note 3 of 2020 – the directive that had required any investment linked, however small, to a land-bordering country to pass through mandatory government approval – has been revised. The revision, labelled Press Note 2 of the 2026 Series, defines a threshold, introduces a time-bound approval window, and corrects several unintended consequences that had been frustrating Indian companies, foreign funds, and overseas professionals for nearly half a decade.

What the Cabinet actually decided

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) notified Press Note No. 2 (2026 Series) announcing two specific changes. The first is the incorporation of a definition of ‘Beneficial Owner’ –a term that Press Note 3 had used but left undefined, creating the interpretational fog that had complicated deals across the investment community for years. The new definition borrows from the Prevention of Money Laundering Rules, 2005. The threshold it establishes: investors with non-controlling beneficial ownership of up to 10 per cent from land-bordering countries may invest through the automatic route, subject to applicable sectoral caps and conditions. The 10 per cent figure comes from anti-money laundering regulations already used by banks to identify natural persons behind an investing entity.

The second change is a 60-day processing window for investment proposals in specified manufacturing sectors. The sectors are capital goods, electronic capital goods, electronic components, and polysilicon and ingot-wafer manufacturing. The condition is clear: majority shareholding and control of the Indian investee company must remain with resident Indian citizens or Indian entities owned and controlled by resident Indian citizens at all times.The amendment also corrects what lawyers and compliance professionals had long flagged as a drafting overreach in the 2020 directive. The original Press Note 3 contained the phrase ‘situated in’ –meaning that anyone physically located in a land-bordering country, regardless of their citizenship, was swept into the government approval requirement. An NRI with an Indian passport posted to a company’s Shanghai office found it difficult to hold ESOPs in an Indian startup. A US citizen living in Hong Kong found restrictions in directly investing in an Indian entity. These were never the intent of the 2020 policy. Press Note 2 removes that phrase, releasing a class of investors and employees who had been caught in the net by accident, not design.

Atul Pandey, Partner at Khaitan & Co, who advises on cross-border investments, described the amendment as “less a wholesale liberalisation and more a move from blanket caution to a more workable risk-based framework.” He said the biggest benefit is that it removes the “overhang that Press Note 3 had created for minority and non-strategic capital, especially where global funds, venture capital, and private equity structures had incidental exposure to land-border jurisdictions.”In his assessment, Pandey told TOI, “The revisions are material because the policy now gives companies a more familiar and objectively understood benchmark for determining beneficial ownership instead of the earlier ambiguity that often led to inconsistent positions from banks, investors, and regulators.”But he added a measured caution: “Compliance is not frictionless yet: automatic-route cases still involve reporting to DPIIT, the 60-day window is limited to specified sectors, and implementation will ultimately depend on how the notified FEMA framework and authorised dealer banks apply these rules in practice.”

Decline in Chinese FDI, expansion in bilateral trade

Between April 2000 and December 2025, China accounts for 0.32 per cent of cumulative FDI equity inflows into India – $2.51 billion of the $776.76 billion India received from 160 countries. It ranks 23rd among all investor nations, according to the DPIIT Fact Sheet updated to December 2025.The split around Press Note 3 tells the real story. In the two decades before PN3, Chinese FDI equity into India was $2.4 billion –0.45 per cent of the $522 billion India received. After PN3, it fell to $67.35 million between 2021 and 2024 – just 0.034 per cent of inflows in those four years. Year on year: $163.8 million in FY2019-20; $42.3 million in FY2023-24; $2.7 million in FY2024-25, according to CII blog. Trade is heading the other way. India’s trade deficit with China crossed the $100 billion mark for the first time during April–February FY2025-26. Commerce ministry data showed the gap widened to about $102 billion from $91.1 billion a year earlier, with imports rising over 15% to nearly $120 billion despite exports increasing around 38% to $17.5 billion. Earlier, India’s deficit with China has widened from $85 billion in FY2023-24 to $99.2 billion in FY2024-25 – imports up 11.52 per cent to $113.45 billion, exports down 14.5 per cent to $14.25 billion. Eight dollars spent in China for every one earned there. In April-January 2025-26, exports recovered 38.37 per cent to $15.88 billion; imports rose 13.82 per cent to $108.18 billion; deficit: $92.3 billion

The problem that needed solving

Press Note 3was introduced on April 17, 2020, under circumstances that were both specific and urgent. Equity valuations in India, as across the world, had collapsed under the shock of the Covid-19 pandemic. The government’s stated purpose was to prevent “opportunistic takeoversor acquisitions of Indian companies” during a period of acute financial vulnerability. The directive applied to seven countries sharing land borders with India: China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. The practical target, given the economic and political context, was unambiguous.

Three weeks later, in June 2020, Indian and Chinese soldiers fought in the Galwan Valley. Any prospect of an early reversal of the investment curbs evaporated. India banned several Chinese mobile applications, including TikTok, WeChat, and Alibaba’s UC Browser. A 2023 proposalby BYD to invest $1 billion in an electric vehicle joint venture was declined, as reported by news agency Reuters in a report dated July 22, 2023.However, the 2020 directive did not in effect end up distinguishing between a Chinese state enterprise seeking a controlling stake in an Indian defence supplier and a Singapore-based pension fund with a handful of Chinese limited partners holding 3 per cent of its capital. Both, under the literal reading of PN3, required mandatory government approval for any investment in India. The processing time –with clearances needed from the ministries of Home Affairs, External Affairs, and DPIIT – ran to months, sometimes over a year.

The compliance questions that remain

Yashojit Mitra, Partner at Economic Laws Practice, who specialises in cross-border structuring, welcomed the clarity on beneficial ownership while flagging that the reform is “a mixed bag’ in operational terms. The PMLA-aligned definition “at least clarifies that the PMLA definitions and thresholds will be applicable and to that extent reduces ambiguity for multinational funds with complex shareholding structures,” he told TOI. But he cautioned that the Press Note 2 “continues to emphasise indirect ownership and control and the ability to exercise ultimate effective control over the investee entity — provisions that can be widely interpreted.”On the multi-layer compliance requirement introduced under Para 3.1.1(c) of the new directive, Mitra noted that it “will need detailed legal and structural analysis before an investor decides to make the investment.” He also raised a practical concern: the reporting requirement introduced under Para 3.1.1(d)(ii) “has no finalised format, and therefore operational challenges, if any, on that will also need to be considered.” Most significantly, he pointed out that the Press Note2 ‘is to be effective from the date of the FEMA notification, which is not yet notified‘ – meaning the amendment has been announced but is not yet legally operative as of writing this report. Until the Foreign Exchange Management Act’s Non-Debt Instruments Rules are amended by the Reserve Bank, the existing PN3 framework technically continues.

The manufacturing signal

The sectoral specificity of the 60-day fast-track is the clearest signal of the reform’s strategic intent. The four categories — capital goods, electronic capital goods, electronic components, and polysilicon and ingot-wafer manufacturing — are not chosen at random. Each is a segment in which India’s manufacturing ambitions are directly constrained by its dependence on Chinese supply chains.India’s Production-Linked Incentive programme has committed tens of thousands of crores to build domestic capacity in electronics, solar energy, and advanced manufacturing. But PLI-backed factories for smartphone components, solar modules, and battery components sometimes depend on Chinese equipment, Chinese technical expertise, and in some cases, Chinese joint-venture partners. The tougher process to bring in Chinese minority capital and technology partnership was, by industry consensus, a structural handicap.Neha Aggarwal, Partner at Deloitte India, said the liberalisation “is to incentivise investments from private equity funds who were impacted with approval requirements and uncertainty of the outcomes.” She added that it “will also incentivise joint ventures with Indian businesses in some strategic sectors,” while noting that ‘the impact is dependent on stronger JV commitments.‘ On a compliance related query to TOI, her assessment was direct, the revised framework “gives more investor confidence.”Pandey of Khaitan & Co went further, arguing that the impact on manufacturing and technology ‘could be particularly meaningful.’ He noted that for technology and deep-tech businesses specifically, “The clearer beneficial ownership test should make it easier for offshore fund structures and startup investors to assess whether a deal can proceed automatically or needs approval, which in turn should support funding velocity and cross-border collaborations.”Several Chinese companies are keen to invest via the joint-venture route, but the government has been going slow due to lack of policy clarity on beneficial ownership. The cabinet decision is expected to clear the air for investors as well as the bureaucracy.

Industry representatives are upbeat. “Aligning the definition of beneficial ownership with the PMLA threshold of a 10% controlling stake provides investors with a clearer and more predictable compliance framework, which should boost confidence, particularly among PE and VC funds,” said Sunil Kumar, a partner at consulting firm EY India, quoted TOI.

What has not changed

The boundaries of the reform are as important as its contents, and the government went out of its way to make clear where they lie. Joint Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Jai Prakash Shivahare, told reporters on March 11: ‘All the restrictions for investors from land bordering countries are still applicable. There is no relaxation so far as entities or investors in LBCs are concerned. This relaxation is only for entities in non-LBCs and having beneficial owners from LBCs below 10 per cent and non-controlling stake.’In plain terms, a company headquartered and controlled from China that wishes to directly invest in an Indian firm must still seek government approval through the existing process. Direct investments by Chinese-controlled entities into Indian companies continue to require government approval and are not eligible for the automatic route under the revised framework. The relaxation primarily benefits global investment vehicles with small, non-controlling Chinese exposure, rather than Chinese enterprises seeking controlling stakes or joint ventures. However, for certain sectors mentioned before in this article, there is an expedited mechanism for clearances.Shardul S. Shroff, Executive Chairman of Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, welcomed the 60-day mechanism but cautioned that its real-world reach may be narrower than it appears: ‘The benefit will apply only where the majority shareholding and control of the Indian investee entity remain with domestic entities at all times. Given this stringent requirement, the expedited route may have limited applicability.’ His colleague Rudra Kumar Pandey told PTI the 10 per cent exemption introduces ‘a pragmatic threshold’ but the exemption is available only where the investing entity is “not controlled by persons from land-bordering countries.”India’s Industry body CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee noted that India’s recalibration of its approach to Chinese investments marks an important moment in the evolution of India-China economic ties, adding “PN3 signals a pragmatic attempt to balance India’s strategic and security considerations with the economic opportunities that carefully structured investment from China could bring.”

A recalibration, not a reconciliation

The March 10 decision sits within a broader diplomatic trajectory. Prime Minister Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024 — the first such bilateral meeting since Galwan. He visited Beijing in August 2025 for the first time in seven years. India and China have since resumed direct flights and eased visa procedures for Chinese business professionals. Restrictions on Chinese equipment procurement for state-run power and coal companies were also relaxed, according to a Reuters report in February 2026.The global trade context has added its own pressure. The tariff confrontation between the United States and China that intensified through 2025 has prompted a rethink in New Delhi about supply-chain strategy. An India overly dependent on any single economic partner –including the United States –is strategically vulnerable. A calibrated engagement with Chinese capital, on India’s terms and within India’s manufacturing priorities, fits a foreign policy posture that has always favoured strategic autonomy over alignment.Qian Feng, director of the Research Department at Tsinghua University’s National Strategy Institute, framed the change in this context, as quoted by state-run Global Times, arguing that the previous policy had “severely hampered the Make in India initiative” and that the revision ‘will boost the Make in India campaign.” For now, policymakers appear to be signalling a gradual transition from broad precautionary restrictions introduced during a period of crisis towards a more targeted risk-based framework designed to support long-term industrial growth while retaining strategic caution.