Effect of RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR on India from different Aspects

By: Sparsh Dayal

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Updated on: 24-Feb-2022

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As Russia declared war against Ukraine, the impact of the same could be seen on the markets.

IMPACT ON RUSSIAN MARKET

The Moscow stock exchange on Thursday suspended operations after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war against Ukraine. The exchange did not announce any time frame for resumption of operations.

The operations on the Moscow stock exchange or Moex were halted indefinitely following a 14.2% drop since Monday, the biggest single day fall since 2014.

Ruble, the official currency of the Russian Federation, fell by 3.5% after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Asian currencies and stocks were battered on Thursday with shares in Singapore and India losing about 3% as Russian attacks on Ukraine spoiled investors' appetite for risk.

International crude oil breached $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014, making palm a more attractive option as biodiesel feedstock.

IMPACT ON INDIAN MARKET

The share market plunged more than 3% in early morning trade on Thursday, as investors fled risk assets after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war against Ukraine.

The blue-chip NSE Nifty 50 index was down 3.24% or 552.95 points at 16,510.30 and the S&P BSE Sensex was 3.28% or 1,874.56 points lower at 55,357.50. Both indexes opened more than 3% lower and were headed for their longest losing run since March 2020, down for a seventh straight session.

Explosions rocked the breakaway eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a military operation on Thursday in what could be the start of war in Europe over Russia's demands for an end to NATO's eastward expansion, according to a report.

In Mumbai, the Nifty Realty index .NIFTY REAL and the Nifty public sector bank index .NIFTY PSU were the top losers, losing more than 3% each.

As Ukraine and Russia start the war, prices of essential commodities are likely to rise in India.

Tremors of the Russia-Ukraine crisis are likely to be felt by the aam aadmi in India as costs of essential commodities are set to rise. While tensions between Russia and Ukraine increase, the global economy is on tenterhooks. From natural gas to wheat, experts believe that prices of multiple commodities will increase in the near future.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine. He said that it was aimed at 'demilitarization' of Ukraine and added that Moscow does not plan to occupy Ukraine.

Here’s what is likely to be impacted in the days to come:

PRICE OF NATURAL GAS TO RISE

The Ukraine-Russia crisis has pushed Brent crude oil price to $96.7 per barrel, the highest it has been since September 2014.

Russia is one of the biggest producers of crude oil. The current crisis can lead to prices shooting up to more than $100 per barrel in the days to come. An increase in crude oil price will have a spillover impact on global GDP.

Analysis by JP Morgan notes that a spike in oil prices to $150 a barrel would reduce global GDP growth to just 0.9%. Crude oil-related products have a direct share of over 9% in the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) basket. An increase in Brent crude prices, hence, will increase India's WPI inflation by around 0.9%.

According to experts, the price of domestic natural gas (CNG, PNG, electricity) could increase tenfold now the war has started.

LPG, KEROSENE SUBSIDY WILL INCREASE

The rise in crude oil prices is expected to increase the subsidy on LPG and kerosene.

PETROL, DIESEL PRICES WILL RISE

In the past, high crude oil prices have contributed to the increase in petrol and diesel prices across the country. India witnessed record highs in terms of fuel prices in 2021.

If the Russia-Ukraine crisis continues to simmer, India could see an increase in petrol-diesel prices.

Oil consists of about 25% of India’s total imports. India imports more than 80% of its oil requirement. A rise in oil prices will impact the current account deficit.

FOOD (WHEAT) PRICES WILL RISE

If there is an interruption in the flow of grain from the Black Sea region, experts fear it could have a major effect on prices and fuel food inflation.

Russia is the world's top wheat exporter while Ukraine is the fourth largest exporter of wheat. The two nations account for nearly a quarter of total worldwide exports of wheat.

According to a recent United Nations report, food prices have already climbed to their highest level in more than a decade largely because of the impact of the pandemic on food supply chains.

The days to come could see volatility spikes in energy and food prices. The resultant investor sentiment could threaten investment and growth in economies around the world.

PRICE OF METALS WILL RISE

The price of palladium, a metal used in automotive exhaust systems and mobile phones, has soared in recent weeks amid fears of sanctions being imposed on Russia. The country is the world’s largest exporter of palladium.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra Launched With Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC & Leica-Tuned Quad Camera; Know Price

By: Suraj

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Updated on: 28-Feb-2025

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On Thursday, February 2027, Xiaomi 15 Ultra officially launched in China, further strengthening the brand’s flagship smartphone lineup that already includes Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Pro. The launch commenced before the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona and was positioned as the successor of Xiaomi 15 Ultra. The flagship 15 Ultra features the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC and offers a new HyperOS 2 interface.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra Specifications

The newly launched Xiaomi 15 Ultra smartphone gets dual SIM (Nano) slots and runs on Android 15-based HyperOS 2 operating system. It boasts a 6.73 inch (1440x3200 pixels) LTPO AMOLED screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 3,200 nits brightness. The display panel is claimed to support a 300Hz touch sampling rate and has HDR 10+ along with Dolby Vision.

This flagship Xiaomi smartphone sports a Qualcomm octa-core 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset that has a maximum clock speed of 4.32GHz and is coupled with up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1TB UFS 4.1 storage and Adreno 830 GPU.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra camera setup is also promising as it offers a quad rear camera system within a centered, circular module. It features a 1-inch 50-megapixel Sony LYT900 primary sensor with OIS and fixed f/1.63 aperture, a 50-megapixel Sony IMX858 sensor with f/1.8 aperture 3x optical zoom, and 75 mm focal length, 200-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL HP9 telephoto sensor with 100mm focal length, and f/2.6 aperture, and 50-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera with f/2.2 aperture and 115-degree field-of-view (FoV), making it one of best camera smartphones in this segment.

With this quad camera setup, the smartphone can record videos in up to 83/30fps or 4k/60fps settings. It also has a 32-megapixel front camera with f/2.0 aperture for better-quality selfies and video calls.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra has a 6,000mAh battery with 90W wired and 80W wireless fast charging support. It also offers reverse wireless charging and several connectivity options like 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, GPS, and USB Type-C. The 15 Ultra smartphone gets an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor with an IP68 dust and splash resistance rating for enhanced safety. This new Xiaomi smartphone measures 161.3mm x 75.3mm x 9.35mm and weighs around 226 grams. Xiaomi 15 Ultra Smartphone Price

Xiaomi 15 Ultra Smartphone Price

Xiaomi 15 Ultra is available with the starting price of CNY 6,499 (around Rs 78,00) for its 12GB + 256GB variant, while the 16GB + 512GB and 16GB + 1TB variants are priced at CNY 6,999 ( around Rs 84,000) and CNY 7,799 (around Rs 93,000), respectively. The headset has multiple color options including classic black and silver, pine and cypress green, black and white.

Along with this flagship headset, Xiaomi has also offered a professional imaging kit as part of the accessory, available at the retail price of CNY 999 (around Rs 12,000)

Vivo T4x 5G Rear Panel Design Teased Before the Official Launch in India

By: Suraj

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Updated on: 27-Feb-2025

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Vivo T4x 5G smartphone soon to be launched in India. However, the official launch date by Vivo is yet to be revealed; it has recently teased the Vivo T4x smartphone design on the internet. Previous rumors and reports indicated that the smartphone could be equipped with the largest battery pack in the segment. The model will also be positioned as the successor of the Vivo T3x 5G smartphone available with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC and 6,000 mAh battery and registered for the India launch in April 2025.

Vivo T4x 5G Smartphone Design

In Vivo’s recent post on the X platform, the design of the T4x 5G smartphone was teased. The shared image showcases the rear panel design of the headset, featuring a rectangular camera setup with rounded edges. The camera island can be found placing two sensors and squircle Dynamic Light feature. No other specification details of T4x have been announced yet.

Vivo T4x 5G Expected Specifications

Official teaser images surfaced previously indicating that the upcoming Vivo T4x 5G smartphone can pack the largest battery in the segment. Footnote details hinted that the smartphone could feature a 6,500 mAh battery.

Moreover, the upcoming Vivo 5G smartphone can have a 50-megapixel primary rear sensor and several AI features like AI Erase, AI Photo Enhance, and AI Document Mode. The headset is further tipped to offer military-grade durability and an IR blaster and is likely to power from a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC.

Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC currently powers Vivo T3x 5G and boasts a 6,000mAh battery with 44W fast charging. It also equips a 6.72-inch FHD display, a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and an 8-megapixel selfie shooter.

Vivo T4x 5G Expected Price in India

The Vivo T4x 5G smartphone can be priced from Rs 15,000 while the T3x 5G series is available with the starting price of Rs 12,499 for a 4GB+128GB option, while the 6GB and 8GB variants are available at Rs 13,999 and Rs 15,499, respectively.

Vivo T4x smartphone will be available on Flipkart, Vivo e-store, and select offline retail stores across India. The Vivo T4x 5G is expected to be available in Pronto Purple and Marine Blue color options.

Realme Neo 7x Launched, Featuring Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 SoC & 6,000mAh Battery

By: Suraj

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Updated on: 26-Feb-2025

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Realme Neo 7x officially launched in China along with Realme Neo 7 SE on Tuesday. Qualcomm’s new 4nm octa-core Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chipset powered the budget range headset with up to 12 GB RAM. The newly launched Realme smartphone has a 6,000mAh battery pack that supports 45W wired fast charging. Moreover, it gets a 50-megapixel primary camera on the rear and a 16-megapixel selfie shooter. An in-display fingerprint sensor can be found for user authentication. Realme has claimed that the Neo 7x smartphone meets IP66, IP68, and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings.

Realme Neo 7x Specifications

The all-new Neo 7x features a 6.67-inch full HD+ (1,080x2,400 pixels) AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, up to 1,500Hz touch sampling rate, up to 2,000 nits brightness, and ProXDR support. Moreover, the Realme Neo 7x smartphone has a Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 SoC with up to 12 GB RAM and 512GB storage—the new Realme smartphone ships with Android 15-based Realme UI 6.0. Based on available details, it boasts a 50-megapixel OV50D40 primary rear camera sensor and a 16-megapixel sensor at the front for selfies and video calls. Moreover, the Neo 7x smartphone gets a 6,050mm2 VC liquid cooling system and dual stereo speakers.

RealMe Neo 7x packs a 6,000mAh battery pack with a 45W wired fast charging support. For connectivity, it offers 5G, dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, Beidou, GPS, and USB Type-C port, among others. Realme has offered an in-display fingerprint sensor for user safety and security and claims to meet the IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings to protect against dust and water. The Neo 7x smartphone measures 163.15x75.65x7.97mm and weighs around 194 grams.

Realme Neo 7x Price & Availability

Realme Neo 7x Price in China begins from CNY 1,299 (around Rs 15,600) for an 8GB+256GB option, while the Neo 7x with 12GB + 512GN is priced at CNY 1,599 (around 19,200). This budget series smartphone from Realme is currently available in China and can be purchased via Realme China e-store and other e-commerce platforms. The smartphone has two color options: Silver Wing Mecha and Titanium Grey Storm.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 With AMD Ryzen AI 300 Processor Launched in India

By: Suraj

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Updated on: 25-Feb-2025

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On Tuesday, Lenovo officially unveiled its IdeaPad Slim 5 Gen 10 laptop series in India, making it the first to have AMD's latest Ryzen AI 300 Series "Krachan Point" processor. Offered in both 14-inch and 16-inch options, this ultra-thin Lenovo laptop series is designed to deliver AI-enabled performance with a dedicated AI processor, making it a top pick for students and working professionals.

Highlights

• Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 launched in India with AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series processor.
• It offers 16-inch and 14-inch display options with several advanced AI features.
• The retail price of IdeaPad Slim 5 starts from Rs 91,990 and is available in two color options, Luna Grey and Cosmic Blue.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gen 10 Specifications

The all-new IdeaPad Slim 5 laptop series is equipped with up to AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processors, offering 55 TOPS of AI computing capabilities with the integration of Zen 5 cores, RDNA 3.5 graphics, and enhanced XDNA 2 NPU. This innovative processing architecture offers advanced AI workload management and real-time performance for various computing-related tasks.

It comes with pre-installed Lenovo AI Now, an AI assistant based on MEta's Llama 3 large language model to offer personalized digital interactions and access users' personal information using a given database. The newly launched laptop in India also features Lenovo Learning Zone, another AI tool capable of recording lectures, converting them into text, summarizing documents, and generating quizzes.

Moreover, it is available in a 16-inch model with a 2.8K OLED display with 100% DCI-P3 color accuracy, while the compact 14-inch model is offered in the WUXGA OLED display option. Both displays have a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a peak brightness of up to 500 nits. The Lenovo laptop is just 16.9mm thick and built with military-grade durability. Lenovo has made this IdeaPad 5 series laptop available in Luna Grey and Cosmic Blue color options.

For safety and security, Windows Hello Smart is logging via an FHD IR camera with a Time-of-Flight sensor and physical privacy shutter. The laptop has a 60 Whr battery pack ensures all-day power, further enhancing productivity with Rapid Charge Boost technology.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gen Price in India

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gen price in India starts from Rs 91,990, approximately $1,100, and is available on Lenovo.com, Lenovo Exclusive Stores, e-commerce platforms, and retail outlets across India.

India Ranked Second Globally for Internet Shutdowns in 2024

By: Mohit Kumar

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Updated on: 25-Feb-2025

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In 2024, India experienced internet shutdowns in a total of 84 instances. Now it is recorded as the second most internet blackout after the 113 shutdowns recorded in 2023. Even though the numbers have reduced a lot, still India ranked second globally for the number of internet shutdowns, just behind Myanmar, which had 85 shutdowns.

Reasons and Affect Of Internet Shutdown

In 2024, there were 296 internet shutdowns in 54 countries, which is 35% more than the previous year. This rise shows the ongoing problems with access to information and digital rights worldwide. Since 2024 was called the "year of democracy," elections took place in at least 64 countries, affecting nearly half of the world's population. But this also led to more internet shutdowns related to elections, with 12 cases reported in eight countries.

According to the Access Now report, India needs to solve the issue of internet shutdowns because they go against the country’s goal of becoming a global leader in artificial intelligence, digital governance, and skilling. The report also called for the removal of laws that violate people's rights and the creation of rules to prevent future shutdowns.

Overall, the large number of internet shutdowns in India and worldwide in 2024 shows why protecting digital rights and ensuring access to information is important.