NEW DELHI: Communities living around areas in India that witness mining operations are showing measurable signs of lung impairment and heavy-metal exposure, according to new data tabled in Lok Sabha.The health ministry, citing Indian Council of Medical Research studies, has confirmed that residents in mining belts face risks comparable to those for workers directly involved in extraction.A National Institute of Occupational Health study of 1,202 people living near coal mines found abnormal pulmonary function in 14.3% of miners, 10% of supervisory staff and 7.8% of residents. Chest X-rays showed interstitial lung fibrosis in 2.5% of miners, 2.3% of supervisors and 2.7% of residents. Mercury levels above the permissible exposure limit (<5.8 Mu/dl) were detected in 6.8% of miners and 8% of residents, indicating exposure well beyond workplace boundaries.“These patterns tell us that fine coal dust and silica are travelling far into homes, schools and community spaces,” said Dr Dhiren Gupta, paediatric pulmonologist and allergy specialist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. “When non-workers show lung abnormalities comparable to miners, it means even children and families are facing occupational-level exposure without protection.”In Bhilwara district, Rajasthan, children living near the Rampura Agucha mine had higher blood lead levels than control groups, though researchers did not detect toxicity or IQ decline. In Angul and Damanjodi in Odisha, an ICMR assessment found 2.35% and 2.04% respiratory impairment, respectively, among community members.Experts warn that such findings suggest deeper environmental lapses. “If residents show structural lung changes, it strongly indicates that dust suppression and emission control measures are nowhere near sufficient,” said Dr Pritpal Kaur, senior consultant, Pulmonology, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Delhi. She added that community-level exposure points to presence of fugitive dust, inadequate green buffers and outdated dust-control technology.Despite the red flags, mining companies told govt they already provided wide-ranging healthcare in affected areas. Coal India Limited runs 64 hospitals, 300 dispensaries and 18 mobile vans, while NLC India Ltd and Singareni Collieries conduct periodic screening through Occupational Health Centres.But public health specialists say these initiatives fall short of the long-term surveillance mining communities need. “Health camps and mobile units are episodic and basic,” said Dr Neetu Jain of PSRI Hospital. “Only structured programmes with regular screenings, specialist clinics and environmental audits can catch disease early and prevent irreversible damage.”The health ministry said it maintained coordination with the ministry of coal and district authorities to run national programmes relating to respiratory diseases, but experts believe the new data underscores the need for more rigorous monitoring and stronger environmental safeguards in India’s mining belts.

LG Sinha and CM Abdullah (File photo)

SRINAGAR: A political face-off erupted Saturday over age relaxation for J&K’s civil services exam, with chief minister Omar Abdullah accusing LG Manoj Sinha of stalling a crucial file and the latter’s office firing back that “misleading” claims are being spread as the Dec 7 test looms.Abdullah said that uncertainty has gripped aspirants because of “Lok Bhavan’s delay in approving age relaxation, a provision granted multiple times in the past”, and urged J&K Public Service Commission (JKPSC) to postpone the combined competitive (preliminary) exam. He also cited travel chaos caused by ongoing airline disruptions.The row comes amid student protests seeking an increase in the age limit. J&K currently caps the age at 32 for open-category candidates and 37 for reserved categories. Aspirants said other states such as Uttarakhand and Haryana allow candidates up to 42 years, while UP, MP and Rajasthan set the limit at 40.With five days left for the exam, thousands of candidates remain caught between a stalled decision and the risk of missing what many call a once-in-a-year chance.The LG’s office said it received the age relaxation file on Dec 2 and returned it the same day with a query on whether it was “logistically possible” to alter eligibility criteria so close to the exam. “Despite lapse of four days Lok Bhavan did not receive any response. I fully sympathise with young aspirants,” the statement said, adding that social media posts on the issue were “misleading”.The LG’s office also underlined that JKPSC had published the exam advertisement on Aug 22 and notified Dec 7 as the exam date on Oct 6.NC spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq had earlier claimed the CM had already approved the age relaxation proposal and forwarded it to the LG on Dec 2. After the LG’s statement, Sadiq said there was “absolutely no reason for any further queries” if the file had already been cleared by the CM.Parties trained fire on both sides. “JKAS age relaxation issue is turning out yet another classical case of passing the buck at the cost of young aspirants,” Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone said. Congress urged both LG and CM to resolve the standoff without further delay, while PDP president Mehbooba Mufti called it “passing of responsibility”.

NEW DELHI: More than 20 years after her marriage, Rousanara Begum finally heard the words she had waited for when the Supreme Court recently ruled that a divorced Muslim woman can reclaim the wedding gifts her parents gave her at the time of marriage.Now nearly 45, she told TOI on Saturday: “It started two decades ago. I had to fight a lot for the victory.” For her, the SC’s decision is not just a legal victory. It is the closing of a wound she has carried since 2005. Rousanara was barely married when her marital life collapsed. According to her case records, she was married in 2005 but the relationship fell apart almost immediately.By late 2005, the first cracks had appeared. In 2008, after allegations of dowry harassment, mental cruelty, and being forced out of her marital home, she returned to her parents. The talaq eventually came in 2011. The gifts her father had given — 7 lakh rupees in cash and some gold that were part of her wedding — were never returned to her. “(Rs) Seven lakh is a lot of money for folks like us,” she said in broken Urdu.Unlike many families who fear the social judgement that comes with a daughter’s divorce, her parents stood rock-solid behind her. However, despite winning in the lower courts more than once, Rousanara’s fight ran into a wall at Calcutta HC, which in Jan 2024 reversed the earlier orders and denied her the right to reclaim the cash and gold her parents had given when she married. HC ruled in favour of the divorced husband, SK Salahuddin. This prompted Rousanara to move the SC.Through the years of litigation, Rousanara rebuilt her life even as she walked in and out of courtrooms. Today she works as a primary school teacher in a govt school, is remarried, and has two sons.For her lawyer, Syed Mehdi Imam, it is one of the most meaningful victories he has seen. “This was a grey area. Till today, no clear judgment existed on whether the money and gold given to a bride at marriage, but kept with the groom, must be returned after divorce,” he told TOI. “I urged the court: decide this once and for all.” Imam said there was hesitation in some quarters because the matter could have been misread as a religious flashpoint. “There could potentially have been pushback from some corners,” he said. “Some feared it could flare into a religious controversy since this issue had never been adjudicated before. It could have blown out of proportion as it was sensitive.” Then, finally on Dec 2, SC placed equality and dignity at the heart of its interpretation of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, observing that law must be read in light of the lived experiences of women, especially in rural and small-town India, where patriarchal discrimination remains embedded.Muslim bodies have welcomed the ruling. Maulana Raziul Islam Nadwi, national secretary of JIH and its Shari’ah Council, said, “Husband’s gifts to the wife, even if the marriage does not last, cannot be taken back under Islamic law. Women’s gifts have a different status. Shari’at gives the wife this right, unless she or her family willingly relinquishes it. There is no contradiction in the SC order.” When the verdict came, Imam typed three words to her during the court lunch break: “Won the matter.” That night, his phone rang. She was in tears. “I am very happy,” she said. “This win is for all Muslim women like me.” For many divorced Muslim women across India, this case from rural Bengal is a precedent: one that finally clarifies that what is given to a bride at marriage belongs to her alone.

As many as 87% of IndiGo passengers surveyed want the airline’s service deficiencies to be examined under the Class Action provisions of the Consumer Protection Act (CP Act), 2019, following widespread flight cancellations and delays, according to a survey cited by PTI.The survey, conducted by LocalCircles, comes in the wake of IndiGo cancelling hundreds of flights over the last four days, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across airports and triggering sharp criticism over handling of refunds, compensation and customer support, PTI reported.

The Class Action provision under the CP Act allows a group of consumers with a common grievance to collectively seek legal remedy against a company for issues such as deficiency of service, mismanagement or unfair practices.Beyond cancellations and delays, many passengers raised concerns over refund integrity, including deductions and delays, failed “zero-cancellation” or insurance assurances, itinerary changes without consent and the lack of adequate support or compensation when connections were missed, as per the survey findings.The survey posed the question: “Should the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) take up service deficiency of IndiGo under Class Action provision of the Consumer Protection Act 2019?” Out of 32,547 respondents, 87% said “yes, absolutely”, 3% said it was not required, while 10% gave no clear response, PTI said.“To sum up, 87% of airline passengers surveyed want CCPA to take up service deficiency of IndiGo under Class Action provision of the Consumer Protection Act 2019,” the statement said.LocalCircles also noted complaints from passengers who either accepted cancellations or cancelled bookings themselves, claiming that refunds credited were significantly lower than fares paid, despite assurances of “100% refunds”.The survey received responses from more than 30,000 consumers across 303 districts in India, the statement added.

Deliveries of Russian oil to India are projected to decrease to around 600,000 barrels per day next month. (AI image)

Donald Trump’s sanctions on Russian crude majors may have the effect of India’s oil imports from Russia dropping to a four year low in January 2026. The Trump administration has been piling pressure on India to stop procuring crude oil from India. Of the 50% tariffs that the US has imposed on India, 25% are for its crude oil imports from Russia which the Trump government claims indirectly helps fund the war against Ukraine.While the 50% tariffs don’t seem to have impacted India’s imports of Russian crude, the sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil announced in October have forced Indian refiners to look for alternative sources, though the option to purchase non-sanctioned Russian oil remains open.

India’s Crude Oil Imports From Russia Set To Drop

While the crude oil imports are set to drop, the important question is – for how long will this be the case? According to a Bloomberg report Russia is cranking up its own charm offensive, and alternative channels of procurement may emerge.

India’s Russian Crude Imports Set To Fall In January

Deliveries of Russian oil to India are projected to decrease to around 600,000 barrels per day next month, individuals involved in the transactions told Bloomberg. They may reach the lowest point since early 2022, when the Russia-Ukraine war began. Nevertheless, these oil import projections still remain higher than pre-conflict levels.

What’s next? Will India completely stop Russian crude imports?

In the past, India has benefitted substantially from global restrictions on Russian crude sales, emerging as the main purchaser of Russian seaborne crude amidst price reductions due to sanctions. Indian imports peaked at approximately 2.1 million barrels daily in June, making up about 45% of total crude imports.Refiners and traders suggest volumes could go up as non-sanctioned suppliers enter the market and new trading intermediaries emerge. Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Delhi this week to discuss trade relations, offering assurances of “uninterrupted shipments of fuel.”

Russia Quickly Became India’s Biggest Crude Supplier

India’s negotiations for a US trade agreement have progressed slowly, reducing the pressure to align with Washington’s positions, the Bloomberg report said. US President Donald Trump recently indicated a potential reduction in punitive tariffs on India.Elisabeth Braw, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told Bloomberg whilst US sanctions create obstacles, they cannot completely halt the trade. She noted that purchasing decisions are based on product suitability and pricing, rather than ideological alignment with Russia, and hence would likely continue.Restrictions on India’s Russian oil imports have intensified since July, beginning with European Union sanctions on Nayara Energy Ltd., which has Rosneft backing. This marked the EU’s first such measure. The Trump administration subsequently shifted from its previous acceptance of purchases under a Group of Seven price cap, openly criticising the trade and implementing a 50% tariff to enhance its exports and apply pressure on Putin.The implementation of the levy and subsequent sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil have not completely halted oil flows, despite significantly impacting trade. Concerns about potential future disruptions led to increased November imports of 1.8 million barrels daily, as transactions were expedited.Also Read | Message for Trump? Putin says Russia ready to continue ‘uninterrupted shipments of fuel’ to India; pitches reliable supply of oilAccording to Sumit Ritolia, lead analyst for refining and modeling at Kpler, December volumes are expected to range between 1 to 1.2 million barrels per day, reflecting the surge in bookings by refiners prior to the sanctions’ implementation.Although the government has not provided official directives regarding Russian crude, state refiners have adopted a cautious approach towards sanctions. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd, and HPCL-Mittal Energy have stopped purchases entirely, whilst Indian Oil Corp and Bharat Petroleum Corp are accepting only restricted, non-sanctioned quantities, the report said.The extended timeline for Trump to finalise the agreement creates additional opportunities to evaluate the economic and political implications of reducing discounted oil purchases.“If the deal drags on, then more and more people will find ways or more pathways will be made to enable such non-sanctioned barrels to still be bought legitimately by the Indian purchasers,” said June Goh, senior oil market analyst at Sparta Commodities.Indian refiners have shifted to costlier Middle Eastern crude oil varieties to compensate for Russian supplies. They’ve increased their US oil purchases, whilst checking sources in Guyana and Brazil to offset the shortfall. The sudden change led to higher shipping costs and vessel scarcity. Meanwhile, Russia faces financial pressure, with their crude selling at merely $40-$45 per barrel after discounts, industry sources report.A decline is expected in January, raising concerns about whether China, the other significant purchaser, can absorb the excess supply. Future trends will be influenced by various factors, including Trump’s flexibility on tariffs, alongside the swift development of alternative arrangements as supply networks are restructured and price reductions become more substantial.Over the past few weeks, several new entities have emerged in port documentation as suppliers of Russian crude to Vadinar, including Eastimplex Stream FZE, Grewale Hub FZE and Tyndale Solutions FZE.“Indian refiners may also gradually find ways to shift towards non-sanctioned Russian entities, use of shadow carriers, adopt ship to ship transfers, etc in the future to balance geopolitical and economic considerations,” analyst Bineet Banka at Nomura wrote in a note this week.The final amount will depend significantly on Reliance Industries, which until recently stood as the main purchaser of Russian crude exports. Whilst the company has stopped Russian oil purchases for its export-oriented facility and pledged to adhere to applicable sanctions, its existing agreement with Rosneft could potentially contribute up to 350,000 barrels daily in January.As Sumit Ritolia points out, “While India’s oil imports from Russia are likely to decrease, the decline is most likely to be temporary, allowing the supply chain to reorganise itself. Unless more expansive secondary sanctions are introduced, India will continue to buy from a non-sanctioned supplier of Russian oil. The reasons are multiple: the geopolitical and economic dimensions are both essential. Political leaders will not want to be seen as bending down to US sanctions. At the same time, Russian barrels remain highly cost-competitive, and workarounds to maintain flows are likely to emerge. In particular, buyers may increasingly pivot to non-sanctioned Russian entities and opaque trading channels.”

India has recorded its highest-ever annual addition of clean energy capacity, with 31.25 GW of non-fossil power added in the current financial year so far, Union minister for new and renewable energy Pralhad Joshi said on Friday, highlighting the country’s accelerating energy transition. Of the total addition, solar capacity alone accounted for 24.28 GW, underscoring the central role of solar power in India’s renewable push.Speaking at the Global Energy Leaders’ Summit 2025 in Puri, Odisha, Joshi said India has emerged as a key driver of the global surge in renewable energy, noting that while it took the world nearly 70 years to reach 1 terawatt (TW) of renewable capacity by 2022, the second TW was added in just two years, by 2024, ANI reported. He said India’s contribution has been significant, with the country adding 46 GW of solar capacity between 2022 and 2024 to become the world’s third-largest contributor to global solar installations. The minister’s remarks were reported by ANI.Joshi said India’s solar capacity has expanded from just 2.8 GW a decade ago to around 130 GW now, a growth of more than 4,500 per cent over the last 11 years. He noted that while India holds the world’s fifth-largest coal reserves and remains the second-largest coal consumer, it is increasingly balancing fossil fuels with renewable energy as the transition gathers pace, making clean energy strategically critical amid evolving global trade and industrial competitiveness pressures.Announcing new clean energy initiatives for Odisha, the minister said the Centre has approved a consumer-owned Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model under the PM Surya Ghar scheme to install 1.5 lakh rooftop solar systems of 1 kW each in the State. The programme is expected to benefit nearly 7–8 lakh people, particularly from economically weaker households. He added that Odisha already has over 3.1 GW of installed renewable capacity, with clean energy accounting for more than 34% of the State’s total installed power capacity.Under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, around 1.6 lakh households in Odisha have applied for rooftop solar installations, with over 23,000 installations completed so far. More than 19,200 families have received subsidies exceeding Rs 147 crore directly into their bank accounts, Joshi said. He attributed India’s renewable energy expansion to an enabling ecosystem created through policy reforms, ease of doing business, investor confidence, demand-driven schemes and strong Centre–State cooperation, expressing confidence that Odisha would play a leading role in the next phase of green growth.

India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

NEW DELHI: Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his first ODI century as India secured a 2-1 series victory with a dominant nine-wicket win against South Africa in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.India successfully chased the target of 271 runs, with Jaiswal remaining unbeaten at 116. He formed a crucial 155-run opening partnership with Rohit Sharma, who contributed 75 runs.

Jaiswal celebrated his century after facing 111 balls in what was only his fourth ODI appearance since his debut this year. The 23-year-old left-handed batsman has now achieved centuries across all three international formats.Rohit Sharma initially led the batting charge while Jaiswal took time to settle. During his innings, Rohit achieved a milestone of 20,000 international runs, joining the elite company of Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rahul Dravid.Keshav Maharaj dismissed Rohit after his 73-ball innings, which included seven fours and three sixes. Jaiswal then accelerated his scoring rate after reaching his fifty.Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 65 off 45 balls, hitting six fours and three sixes. He finished the series with an impressive 302 runs and scored the winning boundary.India’s bowling attack, led by Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna with four wickets each, restricted South Africa to 270 runs in 47.5 overs.KL Rahul won India’s first ODI toss after 20 consecutive losses and chose to field first.Quinton de Kock‘s aggressive 106 off 89 balls, including eight fours and six sixes, helped South Africa reach a promising position at 168-2 before their batting collapsed.Krishna’s double strike removed Matthew Breetzke for 24 and Aiden Markram for one. He later dismissed de Kock shortly after the batsman’s century.Dewald Brevis and Marco Jansen attempted to stabilise the innings with a 35-run partnership. However, Kuldeep Yadav dismissed both batsmen in quick succession.Kuldeep finished with figures of 4-41, while Krishna’s crucial wickets helped bowl out South Africa, with Maharaj remaining not out on 20.This ODI series victory follows India’s 2-0 Test series win against South Africa. The team benefited from the presence of Kohli and Rohit, who now only participate in the 50-over format after retiring from T20Is and Tests.The teams will now compete in a five-match T20 series starting Tuesday in Cuttack.

Representative image (AI-generated)

NEW DELHI: IndiGo’s nationwide operational crisis entered its fifth day on Satuday, with the airline cancelling over 800 flights, even as the government tightened oversight, imposed fare caps, ordered immediate refunds and warned of regulatory action for any non-compliance. While the disruptions continued to affect thousands of passengers across the country, the airline, in a statement, said that it had restored more than 95% of its network connectivity and was gradually stabilizing operations.Meanwhile, DGCA has issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers over the mass flight disruptions that have stranded thousands of passengers since December 2.

IndiGo says 95% connectivity restored

In its latest statement, IndiGo said it deliberately scaled down operations to reboot rosters and systems and was seeing early signs of recovery.“With regards to destinations, over 95% of network connectivity has already been re-established as we are able to operate to 135 out of the existing 138 destinations in operations,” an IndiGo spokesperson in a statement said.

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In its statement, the airlines added that it expected to operate over 1,500 flights by the end of Sunday. The carrier said that the teams were focused on stabilizing schedules, reducing delays and supporting customers. It added that the refund issues were being handled on a priority basis. The airline thanked government agencies, airport partners, staff and customers for their support and patience and apologized again for the disruption.In another press statement, the airline said that it is working to bring its operations back on track across the network. It added that teams are focused on stabilising schedules, reducing delays and supporting passengers. The number of cancellations has dropped below 850 flights and is expected to decrease further in the coming days.

DGCA issues show-cause to IndiGo CEO over flight chaos

According to the show-cause notice issued, DGCA has sought a response within 24 hours, asking why enforcement action should not be taken against him for alleged operational lapses that led to widespread cancellations and delays. As per the notice, IndiGo’s disruptions were primarily caused by the airline’s failure to make “adequate arrangements” to handle revised roster rules under the new FDTL (flight duty time limitations) scheme. The regulator said this reflected “significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management” and amounted to prima facie non-compliance with Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements.

Fifth day of disruptions, cancellations continue

After cancelling over 1,000 flights on Friday, IndiGo grounded more than 800 flights on Saturday. The airline’s on-time performance at six major metro airports plunged to 3.7% on Friday, according to civil aviation ministry data, highlighting the scale of operational breakdown.IndiGo, which normally operates over 2,200 flights per day, was forced to sharply cut services as crew shortages and scheduling issues persisted under the new regulatory framework.

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Government orders refunds, baggage return and passenger support

In response to mounting passenger distress, the civil aviation ministry directed IndiGo to complete all refunds for cancelled and disrupted flights by 8 pm on Sunday. Airlines were also instructed not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers affected by cancellations or long delays.The ministry further ordered the airline to trace and deliver all baggage separated from travellers within the next 48 hours and to maintain constant communication with passengers on delivery timelines.IndiGo has also been directed to operate dedicated passenger support and refund facilitation cells to proactively reach out to impacted travellers. The ministry said the automatic refund system must remain active until operations fully stabilize.The government warned that regulatory action would be initiated for any violation of these directions. A 24×7 control room has also been activated to monitor the situation and coordinate rapid responses.

Fare caps imposed to curb surge pricing

To curb steep fare surges triggered by seat shortages, the government imposed temporary fare caps across all domestic routes:

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These caps exclude User Development Fee, Passenger Service Fee and applicable taxes and are not applicable to Business Class or UDAN flights.The ministry said the caps would remain in force until the situation stabilises and directed airlines to avoid any unusual upward fare revisions on affected routes. It also clarified that the caps would apply across all ticketing platforms, including airline websites and online travel agents.The intervention followed reports of extreme fare spikes, with fares for some routes shooting up to as high as Rs 90,000, triggering widespread outrage.

Indian Railways deploys special trains

In response to rising passenger demand following widespread flight cancellations, Indian Railways has begun operating special train services across multiple zones. A total of 89 special trains, covering over 100 trips, have been scheduled over the next three days to ensure smooth travel and maintain connectivity during the winter season

10 key directives issued by the Centre

The Central government ordered IndiGo to clear all pending passenger refunds without delay. The ministry of civil aviation said the intervention was essential to safeguard passengers grappling with uncertainty, soaring ticket prices and prolonged delays.

Industry bodies welcome government action

Tourism and travel industry bodies backed the move. Indian Association of Tour Operators President Ravi Gosain said unpredictable fare spikes damage consumer confidence and disrupt tour planning. FAITH board member Anil Kalsi said the fare cap was essential to protect passenger rights and called for a permanent policy mechanism to prevent such shocks in the future.

FDTL norms at the root of the crisis

The current crisis was triggered by the implementation of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, which mandated longer weekly rest periods, extended night hours and fewer permitted night landings. These changes required airlines to deploy significantly more crew.IndiGo had opposed the norms when they were first notified in January 2024, arguing that airlines needed more time to build adequate crew strength. Other domestic carriers, including Air India, had also expressed initial reservations.To help restore services, the DGCA provided temporary relief to IndiGo by rolling back the night-duty definition to 12 am–5 am from 12 am–6 am and allowing pilots more night landings, among other relaxations. The move is intended to enable a faster deployment of cockpit crew and speed up recovery. The Airlines’ Pilots Association (ALPA) India, however, has strongly objected to what it called “selective and unsafe” relief, warning that any dilution of fatigue-mitigation standards could endanger safety and contravene court directions.

Volkswagen Group plans to invest €160 billion ($186 billion) through 2030, a scaled-down outlay that reflects tightening capital allocation as Europe’s largest automaker grapples with mounting pressure in its two biggest markets — China and the United States, Reuters reported.The investment figure, announced by Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume, is part of the company’s rolling five-year capital expenditure plan, which is updated annually. The latest commitment compares with €165 billion earmarked for 2025–2029 and €180 billion for 2024–2028, with 2024 marking the peak year for spending.Since that peak, the group — which houses brands such as Porsche and Audi — has been squeezed by higher costs and weaker margins, hit by US tariffs on imported vehicles and intensifying competition in China. The strain has been felt most acutely at Porsche, which derives nearly half of its sales from the US and China combined.Porsche recently unveiled a significant rollback of its electric vehicle strategy as profits came under pressure. Speaking to Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Blume said the focus of the latest investment plan was firmly “on Germany and Europe,” particularly in products, technology and infrastructure.Blume added that discussions on an extended savings programme at Porsche are expected to continue into 2026. He also said he does not expect Porsche to grow in China, though localising production across the wider Volkswagen group remains an option. A China-specific Porsche model could make sense at some point, he said.On Audi, Blume noted that any decision on building a manufacturing plant in the United States would depend on whether Washington offers substantial financial support.Blume, who will step down as Porsche CEO in January to concentrate fully on running Volkswagen Group, said his recent contract extension as Volkswagen chief executive until 2030 signalled continued backing from the Porsche and Piëch families as well as the German state of Lower Saxony, the company’s largest shareholders.“But it is true, of course, that shareholders have suffered losses since Porsche went public three years ago. I, too, must face up to this criticism,” he said.