Arun has been associated with India International Times since 2018 and he has been a key reporter in covering science and space related stories. He can be reached at reporter@sh003.global.temp.domains.
India’s 68th Republic Day was celebrated at the Embassy of India, Beijing on 26 January 2017 with Indian Ambassador Vijay Gokhale unfurling the Tricolor at Embassy premises. Later, he read out passages from the President of India’s Address to the Nation.
The Culture Wing of the Embassy then screened a short movie on “A Day in the Life of India”, which was followed by a reception for the Indian community, about 200 of them present.
Prior to the Republic Day, on 24 January 2017, the Embassy of India held a Republic Day reception for Chinese guests and the diplomatic community in Beijing, ahead of the Chinese New Year holidays. Assistant Foreign Minister of China, Mr. Kong Xuanyou was the Chief Guest at the event.
Ambassador Gokhale recalled that 2016 was an important year in India-China bilateral relations which witnessed the State Visit of the President of India Pranab Mukherjee to China in May 2016 and three meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Other high level engagements included the visits of India’s Defence Minister, Finance Minister and National Security Advisor to China and those of the Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, State Councillor, Foreign Minister and Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission from China to India.
Ambassador Gokhale quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on the occasion:”I see the development of India and China as an unprecedented opportunity, for our two countries and for the whole world. At the same time, it is not unnatural for two large neighboring powers to have some differences. In the management of our relationship, and for peace and progress in the region, both our countries need to show sensitivity and respect for each other’s core concerns and interests.”
Ambassador Gokhale said 2017 would also mark further progress in bilateral ties.
More than 200 Indian community attended the 68th Republic day celebrations at the embassy. (Photo: Beijing India Mission)
Indian embassy in Washington DC on Monday observed the Martyr’s Day to mark the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on Jan. 30, 1948. Indian Ambassador Navtej Sarna and other officers paid floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi located in front of the Indian Embassy on Massachusetts Avenue in the US capital.
All the staff and visitors who participated in the event observed 2 minutes’ silence as a mark of respect to the Father of the Nation. Also Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite Bhajans were sung by on the occasion.
The Chancery of the Embassy of India in Washington DC, located at 2107 Massachusetts Avenue, has a history of more than a century. It consists of two adjacent buildings, one constructed in 1885, and the other (Depew House) in 1901, making them probably the oldest properties owned by the government of India abroad. Four floors were added to the first building in 1907.
Dephew Building which is now Indian chancery in Washington DC. (Photo: Indian Chancery)
Morris Murray, a prominent Washington physician, had built the second adjacent building based on 18th century French architecture style in 1901 in granite and limestone. This building over the years was occupied by some of the illustrious families including that of U.S. Senator Peter Gerry (1914-1915), Undersecretary of the Treasury Ogden L. Mills (1928) and the widow of U.S. Senator Chauncey Depew, May Palmer Depew. It was during her stay, the building came to be known as Depew House.
After her death in 1940, her cousin leased the Depew House to various tenants, including the British Purchase Agency. The Indian government had acquired the building in 1946 and connected it with the adjacent building to create the present Chancery. Gandhi’s statue was added later.
Vice Admiral RC Wijegunaratne, Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, who is on an official visit to India from 29 January to 02 February 2017, held bilateral discussions with Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff and other senior officials of the Indian Navy on 30 January 2017.
The Admiral is also scheduled to meet the Chief of the Air Staff, Chief of the Army Staff as well as the Director General, Indian Coast Guard, the Minister of State for Defence and Defence Secretary have also been scheduled as part of his official meetings in New Delhi.
Naval cooperation between India and Sri Lanka has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span which includes operational interactions through bilateral exercises, Training, Port Calls, Hydrographic co-operation, Special Forces interactions, Capability Building and Capacity Augmentation initiatives. Two Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPVs) are also being constructed for the Sri Lankan Navy at Goa Shipyard Limited.
In addition to New Delhi, the Admiral is also scheduled to proceed to Goa where he will be visiting Naval War College and Goa Shipyard Limited besides interacting with Flag Officer Commanding Goa Area.
The Admiral would later visit the Training Command of the Indian Navy based at Kochi, where he would be briefed on training aspects and would also visit various training facilities/ professional schools. During his visit to Kochi, the Admiral would also interact with Sri Lankan Naval personnel undergoing training in India.
The Commander, Sri Lankan Navy’s visit follows closely on the visit of the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba’s visit to Sri Lanka wherein he also participated in the 7th International Maritime Conference, Galle Dialogue 2016.
The nations of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) will meet in Kathmandu on February 1-2 to attend the Programming Committee meeting over the next SAARC summit schedule.
This is the first meeting of the SAARC members after the controversial postponement of the 19th SAARC summit scheduled in Islamabad last year in November due to India’s objections over the escalation of border tensions.
The meeting in Nepal will witness all the SAARC member states to discuss the budget of the SAARC Secretariat and five regional centers of SAARC, besides the rescheduling of the next SAARC summit. The meeting will be attended by joint secretaries of the SAARC countries.
The decisions at the programming committee will be sent to the Standing Committee. SAARC, set up in 1985, consists of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Last November, the SAARC Summit was postponed after four nations — Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and India — requested the summit in Islamabad to be postponed over the border tensions between India and Pakistan. The four countries had blamed Pakistan for not creating a conducive environment and not cooperating on combating cross-border terrorism in the region for holding the SAARC Summit. Pakistan rejected the charges.
Foreign Secretary S.Jaishankar has been given an extension of tenure by one more year by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Monday. He was scheduled to retire on January 28, after serving already on a two-year extension of service.
In a statement, the government said Jaishankar’s term has been extended from 29th January 2017 to 28th January 2018. A blued-eyed boy of both Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi governments, Jaishankar, a 1977-batch IFS officer, is known more for his workholic nature and serving throughout the night when in demand.
He was appointed Foreign Secretary on 29 January 2015, a couple of days before his retirement, replacing incumbent Sujatha Singh, who resigned in protest. Jaishankar worked in Japan, China, the US and his understanding of the work ins within the corridors of power are well-known.
President of India Pranab Mukherjee on the eve of the 68th Republic Day received Chief Guest Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces at Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a banquet in his honour on Wednesday evening.
Welcoming the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the President said the State visit is a reflection of the warm relations and intensifying co-operation between India and the UAE. “With our shared vision, we are committed to take our partnership to the highest strategic level as we realise its true potential. This State visit provides an opportunity to further enhance co-operation between India and UAE,” he said.
The President said the well-balanced bilateral trade turnover between India and UAE has been impressive. The bilateral trade during 2015-16 was US $ 49.729 billion. UAE is amongst India’s largest trade partners. To realise the potential for further growth, both countries have agreed to increase the bilateral trade by 60 % in next three years.
In his banquet speech, President Pranab Mukherjee said with India’s plans for rapid growth in the infrastructure sector, the liberalisation of foreign direct investment and as one of the fast growing economies in the world, India holds immense possibilities for investments.
The President reiterated India’s invitation to business houses of the United Arab Emirates to participate in our flagship projects like “Make in India”, “Digital India” and “Smart Cities” programmes. India looks forward to a robust partnership with UAE in our National Infrastructure Investment Fund.
The President reiterated the urgent need for responsible nations to continue collective efforts against the forces of extremism, terrorism and intolerance which attempt to weaken the very fabric of our societies. He said it is in the shared interest of both countries to work for peace and stability in both West Asia as well as South Asia.
When the much-awaited telephone call came from the new US President, Donald Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was upbeat because the call has accredited India with a prime status of being the fifth country made by Washington’s new leader.
Trump, in his typical style called India a “true friend and partner,” and invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, before the ritual October visit to the UN. Modi, in turn, invited the President too to visit India and he would be the next Republic Day chief guest. In 2015, US President Barack Obama graced the occasion as the chief guest.
The conversation mostly surrounded the need for both nations to stand “shoulder-to-shoulder” in the fight against terror. The defence and economic ties too came under discussion.
India is happy that US President trump called Modi ahead of other major powers and their leaders, ahead of China or Russia, for instance. Later Modi tweeted that they “agreed to work closely in the coming days to further strengthen our bilateral ties”.
“Had a warm conversation with President @realDonaldTrump late last evening,” he said in his tweet and revealed: “Have also invited President Trump to visit India.”
The White House said, “During a call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, President Trump emphasised that the US considers India a true friend and partner in addressing challenges around the world. President Trump looked forward to hosting Prime Minister Modi in the US later this year.”
The defence ties take centre stage as Beijing is turning aggressive on the Soputh China Sea with other Asian nations warily looking at its bullish stance. “They also discussed security in the region of South and Central Asia. President Trump and Prime Minister Modi resolved that the US and India stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the global fight against terrorism,” the White House statement said.
However, on the domestic front, the H1B visa issue is still primary as Trump is keen to scrap it and retain jobs in the US for its own people under his “America First” policy.
India’s military prowess and achievements depicted in a variety of tableux were on a grand show before the public at the historic Rajpath when the country celebrated its 68th Republic Day today.
The highlights of this year’s Parade were a 149-member UAE Presidential Guard, the Air Force, the Navy and Army contingent led by a UAE band marching on Rajpath and presenting a ceremonial salute to the President of India. The UAE military contingent is led by Lt Col Abood Musabeh Abood Musabeh Alghfeli.
This year’s parade also showed some of the firsts to its credit. For the first time a contingent of the National Security Guard (NSG) popularly known as the Black Cat Commandoes marched past the Rajpath. The parade also saw the fly-past of three LCA Tejas Aircraft flying at a height of 300 m from ground in ‘Vic’ formation and the Airborne Early Warning & Control System (AEW&C) developed by DRDO.
Continuing the 67-year-old tradition of the Republic Day Celebration, the colourful BSF Camel Regiment led this time by Deputy Commandant Kuldeep Seervi took part.
The Indian Army’s missiles, T-90 ‘Bhishma’ tank, Infantry Combat Vehicle BMP-2K, Mobile Autonomous Launcher of the BrahMos Missile System, Weapon Locating Raddar ‘Swathi’, Akash Weapon System, CBRN Recconnnaisance Vehicle and Dhanush Gun System were the main draw in the mechanised columns.
An Indian Air Force Tableau marched past with the theme “Air Dominance Through Network Centric Operations”, displaying models of Su-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, AWACS, UAV, Apache and Communication Sattelite.
This year the Indian Navy’s Tableau had the theme ‘Indian Navy – Professional Force-Anchoring Stability, Security and National Prosperity’. The tableau showcased the lethal Marine Commandoes proceeding for action, the indigenously built Kolkata Class Destroyer and the Kalvari Class next generation attack submarines. The tableaux also displayed a model of the P-8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
The parade ceremony commenced at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate where Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying homage to the martyrs by laying a wreath. An eternal flame burns at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to commemorate the indomitable courage of Indian Armed Forces personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the motherland. The Amar Jawan, the immortal soldier, is symbolised by a reversed rifle standing on its barrel and crested by a soldier’s helmet.
As per tradition, after unfurling the National Flag, the national anthem was played with a 21 gun salute. The parade commenced then and President Mukherjee took the salute. This year’s Chief Guest in the parade Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces too joined PM Modi and other dignitaries in the glass box.
The parade was commanded by Lt. General Manoj Mukund Naravane, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area. Major General Rajesh Sahai, Chief of Staff, Headquarter Delhi Area was the parade Second-in-Command.
Param Vir Chakra winners Subedar Major & Honorary Captain Bana Singh (Retd), Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav, 18 Grenadiers and Naib/Subedar Sanjay Kumar, 13 JAK Rifles and Ashok Chakra winners Major General Cyrus A Pithawalla (Retd), Lt Col Jas Ram Singh (Retd), Mr. Hukum Singh and Mr. Govind Singh of district Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh and Mr. Bhure Lal of district Guna also from Madhya Pradesh followed the Deputy Parade Commander on Jeeps.
The tableau of the Veterans Always in Service of the Nation passes through the Rajpath, on the occasion of the 68th Republic Day Parade 2017, in New Delhi on January 26, 2017.(PIB)
The marching contingents of Army included horse-mounted columns of the 61st Cavalry, the Machanised Infantry Regiment, the Bihar Regiment, the 39 Gorkha Training Centre, 58 Gorkha Training Centre, the Madras Engineering Group and Centre and 103 Infantry Battalion (Territoral Army) Sikh LI.
The marching contingent of Navy comprising 144 young sailors was led by Lieutenant Aparna Nair, while the Indian Air Force contingent comprising 144 men will be led by Squadran Leader Attal Singh Shekhon. The Paramilitary and other auxiliary civil forces included the Border Security Force Camel Contingent, Indian Coast Guard, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Delhi Police, National Cadet Corps and National Service Scheme.
Tableaux from 17 States and UT, six Central Ministries and Departments presented the varied historical, art and cultural heritage of the country. The country’s progress was displayed in different fields, particularly floats from Goa, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam and Jammu & Kashmir with their varied themes, which were of special attraction.
The floats of Central Board of Excise and Customs, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises and Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Allevation showed the rapid development of some of the flagship programmes of the Government. The floats of Council of Scientific and Industial Reasearch (CSIR) and Ministry of Skill Development & Enterpreneurship were also displayed highlighting the significant progress in the scientific and technoligical growth including the vision of “Skill India”.
Next 21 of the 25 children selected for the National Bravery Award–2016 participated in the parade. Next, about 600 boys and girls drawn from three schools in Delhi and a group of school children from South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur performed colourful dances on varid themes.
The splendid driving skills of ‘Dare Devils’- the motorcycle display team of Corps of Military Police followed next and they performed different stunts like Salute to President, Ladder, Double Bar, Lotus, Christmas Tree, Aircraft, Sudarshan Chakra, Flower Pot, Pyramid and Wheeling on moving motor cycles.
The grand finale of the parade was a spectacular flypast by the IAF with the ‘Chakra’ formation, comprising three Mi-35 helicopters in ‘Vic’ formation, followed by the ‘Hercules’ formation comprising three C-130J Super Hercules aircraft in ‘Vic’ formation. Trailing them was the ‘Netra’ which is an Airborne Early Warning and Control System Aircraft also known as “Eye in the Sky”. It was followed by the ‘Globe formation’ comprising one C-17 Globemaster flanked by two Su-30 MKIs.
Next in line was the fighters, where five Jaguars flew in Arrowhead formation, another five MiG-29 Air Superiority Fighters in Fulcrum style. Then the breath-taking ‘Trishul’ formation comprising three Su-30 MKIs of No. 24 Squadron which flew over the Rajpath, and once in front of the saluting dais, the Su-30 MKI aircraft will split upwards, making a Trishul in the sky.
The flypast concluded with another Su-30 MKI carrying out a ‘Vertical Charlie’ manoeuvre over the saluting dais. The ceremony culminated with the national anthem and release of balloons.
The National Security Guard Contingent passes through the Rajpath, on the occasion of the 68th Republic Day Parade 2017, in New Delhi on January 26, 2017.(PIB)
A birds eye view of Rajpath on the occasion of the 68th Republic Day Parade 2017, in New Delhi on January 26, 2017.(PIB)
Rajpath comes alive with the dare devil stunts of motorbike riders of Corps of Signals, on the occasion of the 68th Republic Day Parade 2017, in New Delhi on January 26, 2017.(PIB)
India has moved up slightly in the graft watchdog Transparency International‘s corruption perception index for 2016 by two points with a score of 40 out of 100, compared to 38 last year.
“India s ongoing poor performance with a score of 40 reiterates the state s inability to effectively deal with petty corruption as well as large-scale corruption scandals. The impact of corruption on poverty, illiteracy and police brutality shows that not only the economy is growing but also inequality,” the Trasnparency International said on India.
New Zealand and Denmark have jointly topped the list, said the Berlin-based Transparency International using the World Bank data, the World Economic Forum and other institutions to rank 176 countries on the level of corruption in public sector.
The score 100 means no corruption and zero signifies highly corrupt. India, China and Brazil with a score of 40 each figured in the 10 key economies in the mid-range.
Somalia was ranked the most corrupt country while Syria, South Sudan, North Korea, Afghanistan, and Iraq also ranked in the bottom. However, no country scored a perfect 100 in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2016.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his welcoming address on the eve of the state visit of United arab Emirates Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said his participation as the Chief Guest in the Republic Day Celebrations on Thursday would herald new era in bilateral ties.
Recalling his visit in August 2015 to Dubai, Mr Modi said, “We have shaped an ambitious roadmap of engagement to make our comprehensive strategic partnership purposeful and action oriented. The agreement that was exchanged just now has institutionalized this understanding.”
He said UAE is one of India’s most valued partners and a close friend in an important region of the world. UAE has around 2.6 million Indians.
He welcomed UAE’s interest in investing in India’s infrastructure sector. “We are working to connect the institutional investors in UAE with our National Investment and Infrastructure Fund,” he noted.
“Security and defence cooperation have added growing new dimensions to our relationship. We have agreed to expand our useful cooperation in the field of defence to new areas including in the maritime domain. The MoU on Defence Cooperation, signed earlier today, will help steer our defence engagements in the right direction,” he said.
Here is a comprehyensive list of Agreements/MOUs exchanged during the State visit of Crown Prince to India:
S. No.
Name of Agreement/MoU
Details
1.
Agreement on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Republic of India and the UAE
This is a general framework agreement which highlights the areas of bilateral cooperation identified under the comprehensive strategic partnership as agreed upon in the high level joint statements issued in the August 2015 and February 2016.
2..
MoU between the Ministry of Defence of the Government of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Defence of the Government of UAE on cooperation in the field of Defence Industry
This MoU aims to establish cooperation in the identified fields of defence manufacturing and technology, including through studies, research, development, innovation and cooperation between public and private sector institutions of the two countries. The two sides will cooperate in areas of armaments, defence industries and transfer of technology.
3.
MoU between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the UAE on Institutional Cooperation on Maritime Transport
This MoU provides a framework for enhancing bilateral maritime trade ties through facilitating maritime transport, free transfer of monies between contracting parties and reciprocal recognition of ships’ documents.
4.
MOU between the Directorate General of Shipping, Republic of India and the Federal Transport Authority- Land and Maritime in the UAE on Mutual Recognition of Certificates of Competency as per the provisions of the Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping Convention (STCW78) and amendments thereof
This MoU aims to deepen the maritime economic activities in general by establishing a framework for Mutual Recognition of Certificates of Competency of marine officers, engineers and crews.
5.
MoU between the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of the Republic of India and the Federal Transport Authority, Land and Maritime of the UAE on Bilateral Cooperation in the Road Transport and Highways Sector
This MoU aims to establish cooperation in the sectors of Highways and Road transport through sharing of technologies, systems and best practices in freight logistics, warehousing and value added services.
6.
MOU between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of UAE on cooperation in prevention and combating of human trafficking
This MoU aims to enhance bilateral cooperation on the issue of prevention, rescue, recovery and repatriation related to human trafficking, especially of women and children expeditiously.
7.
MoU for the cooperation in the field of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and innovation between the Ministry of Economy of United Arab Emirates and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoSMSME) of the Republic of India
This MoU aims at promoting cooperation in MSMEs Sectors, including in joint projects, R & D and related activities.
8.
MoU between the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Climate Change & Environment of UAE in agriculture and Allied sectors
This MoU aims to develop a framework for cooperation in various agricultural fields of mutual interest, including through enhancement of cooperation in food processing and transfer of technology in cultivation methods.
9.
MOU between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of UAE on mutual exemption of entry visa requirements to the holders of Diplomatic, special and Official Passports
The agreement allows holders of diplomatic, special and official passports visa free travel between the two countries.
10.
MoU between Prasar Bharati, India and Emirates News Agency (WAM), UAE for cooperation in programme exchange
This MoU aims to strengthen ties between Prasar Bharati and Emirates News Agency (WAM), UAE through cooperation in the field of broadcasting, mutual exchange of programmes, news and best practices.
11.
MoU between the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Economy of United Arab Emirates on trade remedial measures to promote cooperation in areas of mutual interest
This MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the field of anti-dumping and allied duties through exchange of information, capacity-building, seminars and trainings in mutually indentified areas related to trade remedial measures.
12.
Agreement on Oil Storage And Management
between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
This agreement aims to establish a framework for the storage of crude oil by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in India and to further strengthen the strategic relationship between the two countries in the field of energy.
13.
MOU between National Productivity Council and Al Etihad Energy Services Co. LLC
This MOU is on Cooperation in Energy Efficiency Services.
14.
MOU between National Security Council Secretariat of India & National Electronic Security Authority of the UAE
This MoU is on technology development and cooperation in cyberspace.
Padma Awards, India’s highest civilian Awards for 2017 have been conferred to singer K J Yesudas, spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and cricket captain Virat Kohli among many others.
Given in three categories – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri – the Awards covered art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.
‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.
These awards will be conferred by the President of India later at Rashtrapati Bhawan around March/ April. This year the Padma Awards have gone to 89 persons in total, Padma Vibhushan to 7, and Padma Bhushan to 7 and Padma Shri to 75 Awardees. Women are 19 and the list also includes 5 persons from the category of foreigners, NRIs, PIOs and 6 Posthumous awardees.
Following the telephonic call from the outgoing US President Barack Obama, today Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will get a call officially from the new US President Donald Trump at 11:30 PM in the night which is expected to go well beyond the midnight in India.
Mr Modi will be the fifth world leader to receive Trump’s call since his take over on January 20. Otherwise, Modi was quick to congratulate Trump after his election. About India, Trump has mixed feelings unlike Obama.
In a New Jersey address during the campaign, he tried to please majority Indian community there promising, “Under a Trump Administration, we are going to become even better friends, in fact I would take the term better out and we would be best friend… We are going to have a phenomenal future together.”
Otherwise, Indian community in the US was strongly behind Trump during his campaign and in return the top posts went to Nikki Haley among others. The conversation tonight will throw some light into the priority of the White House towards India in the next four years.
UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of United Arab Emirates is visiting India as the Chief Guest for the 2017-Republic Day celebrations from 24-26 January 2017.
This is the second visit of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi to India since February 2016. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to UAE in August 2015, the two countries have agreed to elevate the mutually beneficial relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
India and UAE enjoy close and multi-faceted relations underpinned by cultural, religious and economic linkages. The two countries have been amongst each other’s top trading partners with a well-balanced bilateral trade of about US$ 50 billion in 2015-16.
UAE is among the top investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments. It contributes significantly to India’s energy security and is the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to India in 2015-16.
About 2.6 million strong and vibrant Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in UAE and their contribution in the development of their host country has been an important factor in bilateral relations.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday presented the National Bravery Awards to 25 children saying their deeds of bravery show their decisiveness as much as their courage.
He encouraged the children to ensure that this award does not become the end of their life’s purpose, and added that this award should only mark the beginning for them.
Reminding the children about the significance of the day – 23rd January, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary – the Prime Minister urged the children to read as much as possible, and especially read biographies of leaders, sportspersons and other people who have done great deeds in their lives.
He said that bravery is a state of mind; a healthy body helps, but the prime moving force is the mind. Therefore, he added, we need to make the mind strong. He urged the children to ensure that the adulation and fame that they are getting, should not become an obstacle to their future progress.
The Minister for Women and Child Development, Mrs Maneka Gandhi, was present on the occasion.
The National Bravery Award Scheme was initiated by the ICCW – Indian Council for Child Welfare – to give due recognition to the children who distinguish themselves by performing outstanding deeds of bravery and meritorious service and to inspire other children to emulate their examples.
This year Republic Day Parade on Rajpath will witness tableaux from 17 States and Six Ministries of the Central Government, showcasing themes starting from country’s rich cultural heritage and socio-economic development to nation’s progress in IT, Women, Empowerment and Environment Protection.
The UAE Crown Prince is going to be the Chief Guest at 2017 Republic Day parade.
Arunachal Pradesh, in its tableau, seeks to depict the Yak Dance, one of the most famous pantomimes of the Mahayana sect of Buddhist Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh where a masked dancer represents the members of a family who are said to have discovered the Yak with the help of a magical bird hundreds of years ago. The Yak is the most useful animal of the northeastern tribes which believe that the discovery of the Yak resolved the family’s internal property disputes and provided a permanent source of prosperity to the entire community.
Other tableux include ODISHA’s Dola Jatra, MAHARASHTRA’s tableux depicting freedom fighter Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak, MANIPUR’s Lai Haraoba by the Meitei community.
Gujarat will showcase the Art and Lifestyle of Kutch with 16 different types of embroideryand the Rogan art, Mud work and the art of making Bhunga. LAKSHADWEEP will focus on Tourist Destination while Karnataka presents traditional folk dances of the Goravas, the worshippers of Lord Shiva engaged in the traditional ritualistic dance.
The 2017 drive to assess the world’s best business schools has begun, with global higher education analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds releasing the QS Global 250 Business Schools Report 2017.
The analysis, classifying business schools into four quadrants, recognizes the top institutions for both employability and academic standards across all major world regions. Key findings for India include:
The Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad is rated by QS as both being outstanding for both graduate employability and academic standards. It thus becomes the country’s only business school to enter the Global Elite quadrant, which contains 45 world-leading business schools;
Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore achieves a leading Employability score, and thus places in QS’s ‘Top-Tier Employability’ quadrant;
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, the Indian School of Business, and Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow achieve strong but non-outstanding scores for both employability and academic performance, and thus place in the ‘Mid-Tier’, or ‘Superior’ quadrant.
The Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town leads the Middle East & Africa region in both categories;
In total, 107 of the 250 classified schools hail from North America. 82 operate in Europe, 42 in the Asia-Pacific region, 10 in Latin America, and 9 in the Middle East & Africa;
The expert analyses of 12,125 MBA employers and 8,376 academics specialising in Business & Management contributed to QS’s own analysis.
Asia-Pacific
42 business schools from the Asia-Pacific region are ranked: 17 from Australia, 6 from China, 5 from both Hong Kong and India, 4 from Singapore, 2 from Japan, and one each from South Korea, Taiwan, and New Zealand;
This region contains five Global Elite institutions: two from Singapore, two from Australia, and one from India;
INSEAD’s Singaporean satellite campus leads the region for employability;
A Singaporean business school is also the region’s best for academic performance: the NUS Business School at the National University of Singapore;
Europe
London Business School is Europe’s leading business school once again, achieving a perfect score for both employability and academic performance;
In total, sixteen European institutions feature in the Global Elite quadrant. This group is comprised of business schools from France (3), Germany (1), Italy (1), the Netherlands (1), Spain (2), Switzerland (2), and the United Kingdom (6).
North America
Harvard Business School remains North America’s best MBA provider based on both the employability of its graduates and its academic standards;
Eighteen Global Elite schools are from the USA, while four operate in Canada.
Latin America
Two Latin American business schools join the forty-five Global Elite schools: EGADE, a constituent school at Tecnológico de Monterrey; and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Sepoy Chandu Babulal Chavan, who crossed over to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir from Jammau and Kashmir Krishna Ghati sector on 29 September, 2016 was finally handed over to Indian army on Saturday.
India has taken up his release with Pakistani Military authorities through the existing Hotline and scheduled DGMO level talks. His presence was acknowledged by Pakistan on Oct.7, 2016.
“The matter has been continuously raised in scheduled DGMO level talks since then and the issue was also taken up diplomatically through our High Commission in Pakistan and Ministry of External Affairs, said a statement by the Indian army.
On Saturday, (21 Jan 17) at 1 PM, “we finally got confirmation by Pakistan Military Authorities that Sepoy Chandu Babulal Chavan would be handed over to Indian Authorities at Wagah border at 3 PM Indian time,” said Indian Army PRO Col. Rohan Anand.
Sepoy Chandu Babulal Chavan was finally handed over to Indian authorities at Wagah Crossing Point at 3:45 PM on Saturday, said the Indian army confirming the handover.
The border crossing has been a major issue in bilateral ties with Pakistan and Indian Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting about the details of Madhukar Gupta Committee report on the issue of gaps and vulnerability in border fencing along Indo-Pakistan border, in New Delhi on September 22, 2016.
The National Security Advisor (NSA), Shri Ajit Doval, the Home Secretary, Rajiv Mehrishi, the Deputy NSA, Dr. Arvind Gupta, the Secretary (Border Management),Susheel Kumar, the Home Secretary (Retd.), Madhukar Gupta and other senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Defence have been working on the committee recommendations to stem the border crossing issue by civilians and army personnel.
US President Donald Trump in his first Presidential address has put “America First”, setting the tone for an inward-looking diplomacy that might radically change the course of world events since the Pearl Harbor attack seven decades ago.
“We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power. From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it’s going to be only America first, America first,” he said in his first Presidential speech.
In domestic politics, what President Trump proclaimed was feasible but in international politics, diplomacy varies from capital to capital and region to region. Depending on where he stands, it changes.
To begin with, going westward, America of Trump may seek more from Japan where it has stationed its war fleet round the clock for a sum. Now this has to be a ransom to sustain what Trump wanted. Will Tokyo, stuck in a stagnated economy, tax its citizens more to pay Uncle Sam?
Australia and New Zealand, who fall in line every time an emergency struck the US in the past, may not benefit from America First policy directly but certainly they can look inward for a domestically centred economic push, instead of looking at Washington DC for succour.
Asia is as divided as ever. China may tremble under the pressure of a constant panic button by an erstwhile businessman who may want more concessions or threaten to replete the markets for ever. China may retaliate in many ways including selling its US dollar reserves which are in plenty. This may be an uphill task but once mooted, even the US economy will shake.
India, being a late entrant into the US-dominated international politics after the Cold War, will have to safeguard its Information Technology companies and contracts whether H1B visa is there or not. The time is for Indian honchos to give room to their US counterparts in office space to thwart any direct attack from Trump. It is going to be a roller-coaster ride for Indian IT companies for the next four years.
Pakistan, whose Prime Minister woke up to a sudden phone call from President-elect Trump, may cosy up to the fact that they have to rein in on Islamic leaders either willingly or unwillingly for the next four years. US troops in Afghan border will remain a direct answer to every word that Trump speaks from now onwards. How Taliban in Kabul outskirts reacts to Trump will shape the drone war in the vicinity of Hindukush mountains.
Middle East will remain the major beneficiary from the Trump Administration as long as the Arabs keep their oil wells in tact and hand over the IS agents in return for business considerations. One pointer is that oil prices will be given a push to touch $100 if diplomacy by business is what Trump means.
More of Israel than Iran in Middle East policy will gain currency again. To achieve this, United Kingdom will have to be roped in and NATO alliance has to remain in its place to keep Russia’s Putin in place. US future with Europe is so intertwined that no President can just distance the siblings here.
Africa in the backyard, as usual, with focus on warlords and military mafia who will resurrect terror and attract Trump’s attention eventually tasting his iron-handed approach. Unlike the previous Bush administration, Trump may be forced to involve more in African affairs, for a change now.
Back to borders with other American nations like Mexico, he may build a wall but how much of the cost will be footed by the Mexican drug mafia, if not the Mexican government, will be the major question. Other Latin Americans may wait in the wings for the next administration to take over in 2021.
All said and done, Trump’s slogan remains the same – “Yes, together, we will make America great again.”
The second annual Raisina Dialogue was held in New Delhi, this time in January with distinguished foreign and Indian intellectuals and academics addressing the seesions. Envisioned to be India’s flagship conference of geopolitics and geo-economics, the conference was designed on the lines of Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
This year’s conference was jointly held by the Ministry of External Affairs, India and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), a think tank funded by the Ambani group in India. Held in New Delhi from 17-19 January, 2017 at the Taj Palace, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, the theme of the Dialogue, this year, was “The New Normal: Multilateralism with Multi-Polarity”.
The three-day dialogue featured an Inaugural Panel with the participation of M.J. Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs of India, Prakash Sharan Mahat, Foreign Minister of Nepal, Hamid Karzai, former President of Afghanistan, Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia and Gowher Rizvi, International Affairs Advisor to Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
A video message from the United Nations Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres was also be played before the Inaugural Panel followed by several Ministerial and Keynote addresses.
Besides the Theme Address by Foreign Secretary Dr. S. Jaishankar, the foreign dignitaries who addressed the Dialogue included Boris Johnson, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, UK, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Minister for Regional Development, Sri Lanka, Stephen Harper, former Prime Minister of Canada, Jacques Audibert, Diplomatic Advisor to the President of France, Shunsuke Takei, Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr, Commander, Pacific Command and Admiral Michelle Howard, Commander, US Naval Forces, Europe and Africa.
While the first edition involved about 40 countries with 120 foreign participants, the 2nd edition featureed participation from about 65 countries and more than 250 foreign participants.
The name Raisina Dialogue comes from Raisina Hill, where the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the South and North Blocks of the Indian government’s head offices were located and the conference symbol has the design as its symbol.
The theme of the first dialogue was “Connecting Asia” which witnessed participation of more than 100 speakers from over 35 countries and the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj described the dialogue as a “new sense of purse to the country’s foreign policy”.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who received a telephone call from US President, Mr Barack Obama on Wednesday evening, thanked him for his ooperation.
The two leaders reviewed with satisfaction the significant all round progress and cooperation in ties between India and the US in the past few years.
Prime Minister Modi also thanked President Obama for his strong support and contribution to strengthening the strategic partnership between India and the US.
President Obama visited India twice during his term and he was also the Chief Guest at 2015 Republic Day Parade.
Modi conveyed his best wishes to President Obama in his future endeavours. President Obama’s term ends on January 20, 2017.
There is a hotline or secure line of communication between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama and their national security advisors, a decision that was made after Obamas’s historic visit to New Delhi in January 2015.
“Hotline has connotation of some crisis management phone or system that was used during the cold war to defuse crisis. That’s not what we have,” Lavoy explained.
During Obama’s term, India became only the fourth country– after Russia, Great Britain and China – with which the US has a hotline.
For India this is the first hotline at the level of head of state. The hotline also signified efforts of Obama and Modi to increase the frequency of level of communication and frequent discussion between them on key bilateral, regional and global issues.
