Category Archives: GENERAL

Ansari Praises Indian Community’s Contribution to Uganda Business

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The Vice President of India, Mr. M. Hamid Ansari said India’s commercial and business ties with Uganda are dynamic and form a key pillar of bilateral relations, while addressing the India-Uganda Business Meeting in Kampala, Uganda, on Wednesday, February 22, 2017.

The Vice President said that Uganda’s expanding economy offers opportunities in a variety of sectors. He has underscored the service of Indian education institutions to provide opportunities for quality education at a fraction of the cost of western institutions to an ever increasing number of students from Africa, including from Uganda. India has been a source of affordable pharmaceuticals and specialized healthcare for people of Africa, he added.

The Vice President said that the Indian community in Uganda is vibrant and holds an important position in Ugandan economy in manufacturing, trade and service sectors. Indian businesses employ thousands of Ugandans and are among the largest contributors to tax revenue in Uganda, he added.

“Our commercial and business ties with Uganda are dynamic and form a key pillar of our bilateral relations. I am told that every month, more than 70 Ugandan businessmen travel to India to explore business opportunities with India. It is a matter of satisfaction that India is one of the largest trade partners of Uganda but at US$ 615 million, our bilateral trade is yet to reach its true potential,” he noted.

The Indian community in Uganda is vibrant in Uganda and holds an important position in Ugandan economy in manufacturing, trade and service sectors. Indian businesses employ thousands of Ugandans and are among the largest contributors to tax revenue in Uganda.

“I thank the Government of Uganda for welcoming Indian entrepreneurs who have sought business opportunities in Uganda and I request that the Ugandan government continues with such support and encouragement for our companies seeking business in Uganda,” he said.

The Vice President said that India has emerged as one of the largest investors and trading partners of Uganda. The Vice President thanked the Government of Uganda for welcoming Indian entrepreneurs who have sought business opportunities in Uganda.

3 EU Delegations on Whirwind Tour of India

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A delegation of the Committee for Internal Market and Consumer Protection, European Union led by Ms. Vicky Ford met the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, in New Delhi on February 23, 2017.

The European Parliament Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection is on a visit to Mumbai and New Delhi from 21-23 February 2017 to meet ministries, parliamentarians, standardisations authorities and consumer organisations. The Delegation comprises of Ms. Vicky Ford (IMCO Chair), Mr. Andreas Schwab, Ms. Evelyne Gebhardt, Ms. Olga Sehnalova, Ms. Marlene Mizzi and Mr. Ivan Stefanec.

The Delegation intends to push for a revived EU-India strategic partnership and also cover regulatory issues in areas such as services, standardisation, customs and consumer protection.

MEPs are keen on knowing the Indian customs priorities, including the management of port controls and relevant customs IT systems. They will visit start-up incubators and Info-tech park which offer key opportunities for unlocking the potential of the digital market and of services.

The delegation will try to assess how India ensures safe products, combats counterfeiting, safeguards consumer rights, keeps consumers informed about products/services, cracks down on anti-competitive behaviour and reduces administrative burdens, while sharing experiences about the standardisation process in India and EU.

Two other EU delegations are also visiting India to strengthen the EU-India Strategic Partnership. The AFET Committee under the leadership of its new chair, MEP David McAllister, would be meeting various leaders and representatives of the Indian Government, industry, as well as think tanks.

The AFET delegation comprises of Mr. David McAllister (Chair), Mr. Cristian Dan Preda, Ms.. Željana Zovko, Ms. Neena Gill, Mr. Jo Leinen, Mr. Amjad Bashir, Mr. Urmas Paet.

The AFET delegation will focus on EU-India relations, including an enhanced foreign policy dialogue on issues of global and regional importance and of mutual interest or concern, such as peace, security, and multilateral cooperation.

The third, European Parliament’s Delegation comprising Mr Geoffrey Van Orden, (Chair), Ms. Neena Gill (1st Vice-Chair), Ms Cora Van Nieuwenhuizen (2nd Vice-Chair), Mr Alojz Peterle, Mr Jakob Von Weiszacker, and Mr Flavio Zanonato will be visiting Delhi and Bangalore from 20th – 23rd February, 2017.

In Bangalore the group will meet Karnataka Minister for Industry and representatives of leading Indian and European businesses. Software and aeronautics.

Arun Jaitley Undertakes 5-day UK Sojourn to Invite Investors

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The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will leave tomorrow, Febrary 24, 2017, for London on a five-day official visit to hold business interaction with UK-India Business Council, meet his UK counterpart and the Chancellor of Exchequer, besides delivering a talk at London School of Economics on ‘Transforming India: Vision for the Next Decade”.

On Saturday, he will deliver a talk at London School of Economics and on Sunday, the Finance Minister will attend a reception being organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), British Council and Indian High Commission at UK.

On Monday, Jaitley will perform Market Opening Ceremony at London Stock Exchange followed by a Roundtable Meeting with prospective issuers and leading investors and fintech leaders.

Later in the day, the Finance Minister will have Business interaction with over 100 senior business leaders from the UK-India Business Council (UKIBC). In the evening, he will call on Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary of UK before attending a reception being hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

On Tuesday, he will meet with his UK counterpart and the Chancellor of Exchequer and then attend a meeting with CEOs being organized by the Confederation of British Industry before leaving back for home in the evening.

Jaishankar Makes Half-Way to Convince China on NSG, Azhar Issues

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External Affairs Secretary Dr. S. Jaishankar’s visit to China at a crucial stage has come as no magic but certainly paved the way, at least by half, to make Beijing see the reason behind India’s demand.

The latest restructured strategic dialogue with Chinese counterpart Executive Vice Minister Mr. Zhang Yesui besides the State Counsellor Mr. Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Mr. Wang Yi, yielded response on several issues short of India’s demand on terrorism.

Other areas included Afghanistan, multilateral diplomacy including counter-terrorism and also bilateral relations as well as the nuclear issues.

Jaishankar summed up his visit as useful in conveying to the Chinese side “our priorities and concerns and also gaining from them an appreciation of their understanding of the world situation and in what manner we could work together,” which in non-diplomatic terms means some sort of status-quo will continue in India-China relations and that no one should expect any wonders to take place.

On Wednesday, it was a five-hour-long talks sharing views on international issues. China shared its insights and perspectives. What is the common point for both was international trade barriers which may pose equal threat to both Asian giants.

Both agreed that the international situation is in flux and both India and China probably could do one thing together which is a more stable, substantive, forward looking India-China relationship which would inject a greater amount of predictability into the international system, he said.

“On the NSG issue the Chinese side underlined that they were open to India’s application for membership but they had their view of procedures and processes and these were somewhat different from where we are at the moment and where we think most of the group is at the moment,” said Jaishankar summing up his talks.

On UN sanctions on Masood Azhar, India explained the rationale and sought support on its concerns about Masood Azhar’s activities.

Essentially the visit yielded no progress on thorny issues but on business front, there is a common sense of threat from trade barriers and unstable global system, unleashed by President Donald Trump in the US.

Sushma Swaraj Offers Help on Kuwait, Libya, South Sudan Victims Abroad

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In view of sporadic incidents of attacks on Indian nationals in the Gulf and Middle-East, Indian External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that the Indian Embassy has taken up the matter at the highest level in Kuwait and Libya to ensure safety and security of Indian nationals.

On the condition of Mrs. Gopika Shajikumar, who was stabbed in Kuwait, she said the victim has undergone a surgery and is recovering. “I was informed about the stabbing of Mrs. Gopika Shajikumar an Indian national from Kottayam. I asked for an immediate report and we have complete details of the unfortunate incident. Gopika has undergone surgery at the Farwaniya hospital. I wish her a speedy recovery,” Swaraj tweeted on Twitter.

On Libyan case where an Indian citizen was shot with a gun, she wrote on Twitter, “We have rescued Dr.Ramamurthy Kosanam in Libya. Dr.Kosanam has suffered a bullet injury. We are bringing him to India shortly. Later, she tweeted that the Mission had rescued all the six Indians abducted in Libya. “I appreciate the good work done by our mission there,” she added.

In another incident in South Sudan, where an Indian was shot dead, brother of one of the victim Syed Farooq Basha in Juba, South Sudan tweeted from Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh seeking help from the minister, who in turn asked the ambassador to rush to the scene and help the victim’s family in sending the body home.

 

MEA Secretary Jaishankar Meets Top Chinese Officials to Soothen Feelings

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Amid apprehensions and suspicions, Indian foreign secretary S. Jaishankar visited Beijing and held talks with top officials to bring a semblance of rapproachement in fast-deteriorating bilateral relations.

On Wednesday, Dr. Jaishankar held held parleys over Beijing’s reluctance to support India’s NSG bid as well as a UN ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar, the two top impediments in current bilateral relations. Even the proposed U$46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is another major issue now.

The China-India Dialogue with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held earlier gave out hints on the scope of further talks and Jaishankar’s visit is expected to cement the relations in view of common perceptions on global trade and the role as Asia’s two major developing countries and emerging markets.

Wang had said, “I am certain by raising the level of this strategic dialogue the two sides will be able to enhance their strategic communication, reduce misunderstanding and build more trust and deepen our strategic cooperation.”

In response, Jaishankar said, “This is the first time that the restructured strategic dialogue is taking place… This shows that our relationship today has gone well beyond bilateral manifestations,” he said.

Jaishankar, who was a former Ambassador to China, met China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi on Tuesday. On differences over NSG and Azhar issue, Jaishankar described these as natural issues which neighbours will always have and maintained that it is the responsibility of both the nations to address them.

 

WHO Applauds India on National Regulatory Authority 100% Compliance

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World Health Organization has applauded India’s National Regulatory Authority which was declared “functional’ with a maturity level of 4, the highest level as per currently evolved definitions in respect of 5 functions, and maturity level 3 in respect of 4 functions.

While, maturity level 4 indicates good results and sustained improvement trends, maturity level 3 reflects systematic process based approach, early stage of systematic improvements, data availability regarding conformance to objectives and existence of improvement trends, said health minister J.P. Nadda, who has appreciated the ministry for the effort.

“The successful outcome of the WHO conducted assessment of the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India is a big boost to the Government’s efforts towards quality healthcare, for which the Government is committed to,” he said.

The Minister informed that WHO has termed the 100% compliance in the WHO assessment (benchmarking) of the Indian vaccine regulatory system as another ‘landmark achievement’. The previous WHO assessment (benchmarking) of the Indian vaccine regulatory system was conducted in 2012 during which institutional development plan (IDP) and the road map for strengthening the NRA were developed.

Pointing out to the introduction of newer vaccines in the country’s full immunisation basket through the nationwide introduction of pentavalent vaccine, and the phased roll-out of Rotavirus vaccine and Measles Rubella vaccine, Mr. Nadda stated that the Ministry is confident that India shall meet all its global commitments in the healthcare sector as a result of these focussed endeavours.

In addition, Mission Indradhanush has strengthened the full immunisation drive of the Government, the Health Minister stated.

Ansari Addresses Joint Business Forum in Rwanda

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Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari has said that Rwanda has put behind it the unfortunate genocide of 1994 and the efficient and clean city of Kigali captures the great strides that this country is taking on its path of growth and prosperity.
Launching the India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Program in Kigali on Tuesday, Mr Ansari said the program will expand ties in Science, Technology and Innovation, besides creating an ecosystem wherein Indian innovations and technology enterprises will thrive and encourage business ventures from both sides.
The India-Rwanda Business Forum was organized jointly by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Rwanda Development Board and Prime Minister of Rwanda, Mr. Anastase Murekezi and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
The Vice President said that Rwanda today offers a range of prospects to investors, including in renewable energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, tourism, and Information and Communications Technology. Trade between India and Rwanda has been gradually increasing over the last few years, he added.
The Vice President said that several Rwandans have travelled to India for medical treatment and have come back satisfied. India is also increasingly becoming a preferred destination for quality and affordable education for Rwandan students, he added.
The Vice President said that the translation of ideas and innovations into practical applications will require the 3 Ds of Discovery, Development and Delivery. We are now ready to work with our partners in Rwanda and other partners of Africa in transferring our experience in building an innovation driven economy, he added.

US Congress Delegation Meets PM

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A delegation of 26 members of the United States Congress called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and exchangd views on recent developments in the US.

Welcoming the Congressional Representatives, he said it augurs a good start to bilateral exchanges following the new US Administration and Congress.

The Prime Minister recalled his positive conversation with US President Donald Trump and the shared commitment to further strengthen ties that have grown deeper in the last two and a half years. He appreciated US Congress’s strong bipartisan support for the India-US partnership.

The Prime Minister also shared his perspective on areas where both countries can work even more closely, including in facilitating greater people-to-people linkages that have over the years helped contribute to each other’s prosperity.

Later, he referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society. He also sought to develop “a reflective, balanced and farsighted perspective” on movement of skilled professionals, related to IT sector in particular.

Modi had addressed the US Parliament members on June 8, 2016 during his visit to Washington DC.

Ansari on Visit to Rwanda, Uganda; Calls for Renewed Focus on Africa

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India’s Vice President M. Hamid Ansari has stressed the need for a renewed and more focused effort by India to give a dynamic impetus to relations with African nations.

Speaking to the media onboard Air India One Special Aircraft on the way to five-day visit to Rwanda & Uganda, along with Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Vijay Sampla and others, he said the President of India has visited three countries, the Prime Minister has visited four countries and he himself has visited five countries so far, and this visit will add another two.

All the visits form part of a conscious effort by the Government “to intensify our interaction with countries of Africa at the highest political level,” he said.

On Rwanda, he said despite their painful experience of early 1990s, the Rwandan economy has reported consistent high growth with an increased focus on business and a business delegation from India is also visiting Rwanda to coincide with the Vice President’s visit. He further said that Indian companies could look at making Rwanda an entry point for Africa. As part of the development cooperation, India has collaborated with Rwanda on several projects, he added.

The Vice President said that Uganda has a large number people of Indian origin and they continue to play an important role in bridging the gap. Uganda perceives an important role for itself in Africa and we have very good relations with them, he noted.

Responding to a question on safety of African nationals in India, he said they are rare and sporadic attacks by anti-social elements. These issues have been raised at diplomatic levels and “our response has been comprehensive and is satisfactory to African friends. It has not affected the flow of African students who come in large numbers to India,” he said.

Telecom Exports from India to be the focus of ASEAN-India Digital Partnership

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To commemorate the 25th year of the ASEAN India relations, India’s Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council is holding an inter-ministerial meeting between telecom ministers of ASEAN countries and India in New Delhi today, on 20th February, 2017 to explore the posibility of strategic and commercial tie ups.

Telecom Minister of State Manoj Sinha led the discussions from Indian side with telecom ministers, senior government officials and industry leaders from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos PDR, Indonesia and Bhutan.

India expressed its keen interest to partner with ASEAN countries in enabling Digital Connectivity between India and ASEAN region and also for enabling broadband within ASEAN countries.

“These digital connectivity projects are of strategic importance and can have a transformative impact on the economy and cooperation between ASEAN and India. India has committed to provide financial as well as technological support for projects that could include-high-speed fiber optic networks, digital villages, rural broadband, national knowledge network, secured communication networks and telecom training and skill development,” said a statement by the ministry.

TEPC is organizing its flagship event “India Telecom 2017: An Exclusive International Business Expo” on 21-22 February 2017 at New Delhi at Shangri-La’s Hotel Eros in New Delhi, with an estimated 100 foreign high profile ICT industry delegates from 30 countries.

 

India, Russia to Celebrate 2017 as Year to Mark 70-Years of Friendship, Ties

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India and Russia will celebrate 2017 is a special year of completion of 70 years of diplomatic relations with several programs and events scheduled throut the year.

On 13 April 1947, four months before India’s independence, diplomatic relations were established by India with Russia, then USSR. Over the last seven decades, bilateral relations have seen strong and special Strategic Partnership.

Pankaj Saran, Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation, said, “2017 will be a joint celebration of a long and successful journey together, in which India and Russia have stood side by side with each other as true partners and friends. The Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre will be separately announcing details of individual events.”

During the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India in October 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Putin agreed to commemorate this important occasion and adopted a Roadmap for its celebrations, including series of events planned in Russia and in India during 2017.

The events include seminars, discussions, exhibitions, exchanges and many other activities and the Indian embassy in Russia has unveiled a special logo to mark the anniversary. India will also be the Guest Country at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to held in June 2017.

India’s cultural program “Namaste Russia!” will be vrought to different cities of Russia to showcase the glimpses of India’s rich cultural heritage in the form of world famous musicians, artists and classical music and dance, said the embassy. It will host an ‘India Week’ in St. Petersburg in late May to bring the best of Indian culture, dance, yoga and cuisine.

The performances under Namaste Russia will include:

Sitar maestro Ustad Shujaat Hussain Khan;
The Shillong Chamber Choir;
The Sufi dance and music of the Nizami Brothers;
Shubhra Bhardwaj Bollywood Group;
Indian Fusion group ‘Indian Ocean’;

 

INSV Tarini, All Woman Crew, to Sail her Around the Globe From August 2017

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The Indian Navy’s second ocean going sailboat Tarini was inducted at INS Mandovi Boat Pool on Saturday with Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of Naval Staff present to wish the boat and her crew success in their endeavors.

INSV Tarini is a sloop built by Aquarius Shipyard Pvt Ltd at Divar, Goa and it is being inducted into the Navy and is slated to be the platform for First Indian All Women Circumnavigation of the Globe expedition of the Indian Navy.

Admiral Sunil Lanba announced that the extremely challenging expedition by the All Women Crew is slated to commence in August 2017 and said the team has logged over 10,000 Nautical Miles on INSV Mhadei, including a voyage from India to Mauritius and back and Goa to Cape Town braving through rough monsoon seas and heavy wind.

The visitors were briefed on its advanced features, including improvements, based on experience of operating INSV Mhadei, which have been incorporated.   On completion of the ceremony, the crew sailed the boat out of harbour displaying its agile handling capabilities.

Tarini the second of the Mhadei class ocean going sailboats. Its team of ‘Women in White’ are currently preparing themselves and their sailboat Mhadei participated in the Cape to Rio race in December 2016.

Tarini, First All Women Vessel, to be Inducted into Indian Navy

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The sail boat Tarini is being inducted into the Navy and is slated to be the platform for First Indian All Women Circumnavigation of the Globe expedition of the Indian Navy. Tarini will be inducted at a ceremony scheduled to be held at the INS Mandovi Boat Pool on evening of 18 February 2017.

Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of Naval Staff will also be present on the occasion. INSV Tarini is a sloop built by Aquarius Shipyard Pvt Ltd at Divar, Goa. The boat has been built to a stock design by Van de Stadt, Netherlands called Tonga 56. The hull is made of wooden core fiberglass sandwich construction for a better performance than aluminum and steel. INSV Tarini carries a suite of six sails including a Main sail, Head sails (Genoa and stay sails), Downwind sails and Storm sail.

Her mast is 25 meters tall and has been custom built by Southern Spars, Cape Town, for sailing in extreme conditions. She boasts a Raymarine navigation suite and an array of latest satellite communication systems through which she can be contacted anywhere in the world.

The trials of the newly built INSV Tarini were successfully completed on 30 January 17 and all the learning experience from INSV Mhadei has been incorporated in this vessel right from the start. The keel of the vessel was laid by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on 27 March 2016 at the Aquarius Shipyard.

The construction was overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team, Goa and the vessel is being delivered before the scheduled date of delivery by the boat builder. The successful construction of both the Mhadei andTarini in Goa are a tribute to the Government’s ‘Make in India’ policy, said a statement.

INSV Tarini is almost identical to her illustrious predecessor, the iconic Mhadei which has sailed over 115000 nautical miles in the past eight years. This includes voyages like the first Indian solo circumnavigation undertaken by Capt Dilip Donde (Retd) in 2009 and first solo, non-stop and unassisted circumnavigation by Cdr Abhilash Tomy in 2013.

The boat draws her origin from the famous Tara-Tarini temple of Orissa’s Ganjam district. The word Tarini means a Boat and is also a Sanskrit word for Saviour. Tara-Tarini is a patron deity for sailors and merchants and is worshipped for safety and success at sea. Tara-Tarini of Orissa is known to have historical linkages with the river Goddess Mhadei- the exclusive boat deity of the Mhadei river of Goa. Both the deities Tariniand Mhadei have sculptural similarities.

In order to promote ocean sailing activities and to encourage women, the Indian Navy conceptualized the idea of the First Indian All Women Circumnavigation of the Globe. A team of six women Officers led by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi was selected for this project. These officers have done basic sail training courses at INWTC Mumbai followed by Navigation, Seamanship, Communication and Meterology courses at various naval training schools at Kochi.

Following that, they sailed the boat on a grueling voyage to Cape Town in Dec 16.  The boat is skippered by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi and crew members include Lieutenant Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lieutenant Aishwarya Boddapati, Lieutenant Patarapalli Swathi, Lieutenant Sh Vijaya Devi and Lieutenant Payal Gupta.

WHO Gives Maximum Marks to India’s Vaccination System

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WHO, in its assessment of the status of the Indian vaccine regulatory system against WHO NRA Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) for benchmarking found  Indian NRA as ‘functional’ with a maturity level of 4 or the highest level in respect of 5 functions, and maturity level 3 in respect of 4 functions.

While, maturity level 4 indicates good results and sustained improvement trends, maturity level 3 reflects systematic process based approach, early stage of systematic improvements, data availability regarding conformance to objectives and existence of improvement trends.

The assessment has been carried out by a WHO team comprising lead experts in different areas from WHO Headquarters Geneva, WHO India Country Office, experts drawn from the regulators of USA, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Indonesia, Thailand and Egypt. The assessment has been done in respect of nine different functionalities and

India, as a large vaccine producing country, is currently supplying several vaccines to the UN agencies (UNICEF, WHO and PAHO). A fully functional NRA is a pre-requisite for WHO prequalification of vaccines. One of the requirements to become eligible and retain prequalification status is to have the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) assessed as functional against the WHO published NRA indicators.

WHO Prequalification Programme, as such, facilitates access to vaccines that meet the unified standards of quality, safety and efficacy as well as programme needs. The vaccine manufacturers can only apply for WHO vaccine prequalification if the NRA meets the standards of the WHO NRA published indicators i.e. WHO Global benchmarking Tool on functional regulatory system for vaccines.

The Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) so developed has 63 indicators and 288 sub-indicators, out of which 150 are critical . The result reflects the growing maturity of the Indian NRA emanating from a concerted effort by the Government in consultation WHO to build capacity and capability of the National Regulatory Authority over last several years.

4 New Envoys Present Credentials to President Mukherjee

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Envoys of Tunisia, Morocco, Yemen and Zambia presented their credentials to the President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee at a ceremony held in RashtrapatiBhavan on Wednesday, February 15, 2017.

The envoys who presented their credentials were: –

1.Mr. Nejmeddine Lakhal, Ambassador of Tunisia
2.Mr. Mohamed Maliki, Ambassador of Morocco
3.Mr. Abdulmalik Abdullah Al-Eryrani, Ambassador of Yemen
4.Ms. Judith KangomaKapijimpanga, Ambassador of Zambia

The Ambassador-designate of Morocco, Mr. Mohamed Maliki presenting his credentials to the President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi on February 15, 2017.(PIB Photo)

The Ambassador-designate of Yemen, Mr. Abdulmalik Abdullah Al-Eryani presenting his credentials to the President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi on February 15, 2017.(PIB Photo)

The Ambassador-designate of Zambia, Ms. Judith Kangoma Kapijimpanga presenting her credentials to the President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi on February 15, 2017. (PIB Photo)

Sushma Swaraj Calls US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

India’s External Affairs Minister Mrs. Sushma Swaraj and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had a customary telephone conversation on Wednesday, February 15, 2017.

Both of them resolved to work together closely to further expand and deepen the multi-faceted strategic partnership between India and the US. They emphasized that close and strong relations between India and the US were not only in mutual interest but also had regional and global significance. In this context, they agreed to intensify cooperation in various sectors, including defence and security, energy, and economy.

They also agreed to follow-up the firm resolve expressed by Prime Minister Modi and President Trump to cooperate closely in the global fight against terrorism.

Pre-loaded Sim Card for Foreign Tourists Arriving in India on E-Visa

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India’s Ministry of Tourism launched pre-loaded Sim Cards to foreign tourists arriving in India on e-Visa on Wednesday and minister Mahesh Sharma inaugurated the scheme to facilitate the foreign tourists in communicating with their acquaintances immediately after their arrival in India.

Earlier, the Ministry of Tourism had also launched a 24 x 7 Tourist Helpline 1800111363 in 12 foreign languages so that the foreign tourists can get the required information in their own language. The Minister presented the First Kit containing Sim to a representative of Travel and Tourism sector.

This initiative has been launched in association with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd., (BSNL), wherein BSNL would distribute pre-loaded SIM Cards to foreign tourists arriving in India on e-Visa.  It will be initially available in the Indira Gandhi International Airport (T3 Terminal), New Delhi and later cover remaining 15 international airports, where e-Visa facility is currently available.

To avail pre-loaded Sim Card, BSNL will collect e-Visa copy and the first page of passport from foreign tourists on arrival at the airport and the facility is not available for tourists arriving in India on traditional Visa.  Sim cards will be pre-loaded with a value of Rs. 50 talk time and 50 MB data and will be activated on immediate basis so as to enable them use this facility instantly.

This initiative is also aimed at providing connectivity to foreign touriststo enable them to stay in touch with their near and dear ones and also help them to contact with the 24×7 Multi lingual toll free helpline of Ministry of Tourism for any assistance and guidance during times of distress / medical emergency, etc.

PSLV-C37 Launches 104 Satellites in One Flight, Sets New Record

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In its 39th flight PSLV-C37, ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle successfully launched the 714 kg Cartosat-2 Series Satellite and 103 other satellites on Wednesday morning, February 15, 2017, at 9:28 am from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.

This is the 38th consecutively successful mission of PSLV, which weighed 1,378 kg, that lifted off from the First Launch Pad.

Within 16 minutes 48 seconds, the satellites achieved a polar Sun Synchronous Orbit of 506 km inclined at an angle of 97.46 degree to the equator and in the succeeding 12 minutes, all the 104 satellites successfully separated from the PSLV.

In a predetermined sequence Cartosat-2 followed by INS-1 and INS-2 separated, making the total number of Indian satellites launched by PSLV to 46.

The two arrays of Cartosat-2 series satellite were deployed and ISRO’s Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) at Bangalore took over the control of it. Next, the satellite will be brought to its final operational configuration following which it will begin to provide remote sensing services using its panchromatic (black and white) and multispectral (colour) cameras.

The imagery from the Cartosat-2 series satellite will be useful for cartographic applications, urban and rural applications, coastal land use and regulation, utility management like road network monitoring, water distribution, creation of land use maps, Land Information System (LIS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) applications.

The data sets will be useful for urban planning of 500 cities under the Amrut Planning Scheme. The government initiative of 100 smart city programme in which these data sets could be used for master plan preparation.

Of the 103 co-passenger satellites carried by PSLV-C37, two – ISRO Nano Satellite-1 (INS-1) weighing 8.4 kg and INS-2 weighing 9.7 kg – are technology demonstration satellites from India.

The remaining 101 co-passenger satellites carried were international customer satellites from USA (96), The Netherlands (1), Switzerland (1), Israel (1), Kazakhstan (1) and UAE (1).

The complex mission involved many technical challenges like realising the launch of a large number of satellites during a single mission within the time frame sought by the customers from abroad. With today’s successful launch, the total number of foreign satellites on PSLV has reached 180.

China, India Behind 50% of Global Deaths Due to Air Pollution: Study

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China and India together contributed for more than half of the total global deaths due to air pollution in 2015, said a study by the U.S.-based Health Effects Institute (HEI).

The report showed that air pollution caused more than 4.2 million deaths in 2015, making it the fifth highest cause of death. But just two countries – India and China alone reported 2.2 million deaths, or half of the global deaths.

The institute on its website – www.stateofglobalair.org – said 92% of the world’s population lives in areas which are filled with polluted or unhealthy air. In turn, air pollution causes cancer, stroke and heart disease, as well as chronic respiratory problems such as asthma.

However, China is trying to bring down the deaths but India has a long time to go, it said. In January, a ministry spokesman told domestic media, “It is currently too early to draw conclusions about the extent of the impact of smog on health, especially its long-term impact on the body.”

The report said most of the world’s population lives in areas where air quality is unhealthy and an estimated 92% of people live in areas where fine particulate matter concentrations (small dust or soot in the air) exceed the World Health Organization’s Air Quality Guideline of 10 µg/m3.

Air pollution is a complex mixture of particles and gases and the composition varies from place to place, depending on what sources are present, including power plants, heavy industry, traffic, weather conditions, and how they mix in the atmosphere, said the organisation in it study.

British MPs’ Delegation Meets PM Modi

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An eight-member delegation of British Parliamentarians on Tuesday, Feb.14, 2017 called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said the relations between India and UK have strong bipartisan support in both countries, and hoped for enhanced interactions between the Parliamentarians of both countries.

The Prime Minister recalled his own visit to UK in November 2015, and the visit of Prime Minister Theresa May to India in November 2016. The year 2017 is being celebrated as the India-UK Year of Culture.

The Prime Minister also said that India and UK are natural partners in the global fight against terrorism, and urged the Parliamentarians to continue to raise their collective voice against terrorism, extremism and radicalization.

Last time in January 2015, the British MP Priti Patel attended the Bharatiya Pravasi Day celebration held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat when David Cameron was the British Prime Minister. Cameron government also honoured Mahatma Gandhi with a statue in London recently.