Iran has contacted Indian refiners to sell its oil after the US temporarily lifted sanctions on Tehran. Meanwhile, an Indian startup founder is going to head Meta's WhatsApp. Follow DW for more.
What you need to know
After years of restrictions, Indian buyers are looking at Iran for oil imports
Fintech startup CRED founder Kunal Shah has taken over as head of WhatsApp
Here is a roundup of some of the top headlines that are getting India talking on Tuesday, June 23:
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India-US begin trade talks today
India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal began the two-day talks with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer today, according to the US embassy in India.
Greer is in Delhi on an official visit for the trade pact talks.
The United States is focused on securing a fair, reciprocal trade deal with India that opens markets for American exporters and delivers benefits to both countries, the embassy said in an X post on Tuesday.
On June 15, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that the talks between the two ministers are likely to be focused on giving final touches to the framework deal.
The high-level talks come as the US is set to come out with a new tariff architecture, which could act as an alternative to reciprocal tariffs.
Indian startup CRED founder Kunal Shah takes over WhatsApp
Kunal Shah, founder of Indian fintech startup CRED, has been appointed as the new head of Meta's popular messaging platform WhatsApp, after Will Cathcart stepped down from the position.
In a social media post, Cathcart said, "After nearly 7 years leading WhatsApp, I'm excited to share who will take over the responsibility of delivering simple, reliable, and private messaging for the world. WhatsApp is in the strongest position it's ever been — and that felt like the right moment to step back.”
Shah's appointment as WhatsApp's head comes alongside Meta's decision to invest about $900 million (€789 million) in consumer finance firm CRED, one of the largest investments by a global technology company in an Indian fintech startup.
Shah will step down from his executive responsibilities at CRED and join Meta. He will continue holding his personal stake in the fintech company.
"I look forward to working with Mark, Chris, and the leadership across Meta for the next step in WhatsApp’s journey," Shah said, announcing his transition to Meta.
India is WhatsApp's largest market, with over half a billion users, according to 2021 government figures. But analysts say it has largely missed the chance to build an equally popular payments service.
Iranian oil back on Indian refiners' radar after US waiver
The United States has temporarily lifted sanctions on Iranian crude oil exports, opening a way for Iranian oil to return to India after years of restrictions.
The National Iranian Oil Company has reached out to international oil companies, including Indian refiners, and trading houses to resume commercial ties, Indian newspaper The Indian Express reported, citing trade sources.
The development comes as part of the ongoing US-Iran negotiations under which the US issued a temporary 60-day sanctions waiver for Iranian crude oil.
US, Iran announce initial 'peace deal'
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The waiver allows production, delivery, and sale of Iranian oil , petroleum products, and petrochemicals through August 21.
The lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil holds significance for India, which was once among the largest importers of Iranian crude before US sanctions forced it to stop buying Tehran's oil in 2019 .
Right now, Indian refiners are treading cautiously. Oil-importing companies in India steer clear of oil and gas under US sanctions to avoid the risk of attracting secondary sanctions from Washington.
Welcome to our coverage
Good morning! This is Midhat from DW's New Delhi Studio. I am here to bring you all the latest news coming from India .
India is once again looking at Iran to support its oil needs. The shift comes as a result of the US waiving its sanctions on Iran.
Meanwhile, Meta's popular messaging platform, WhatsApp, will now be headed by Indian fintech startup CRED founder, Kunal Shah.
Stay tuned as we bring you more on this and other developments from across the country.