A 20-member Indian trade delegation led by Chairman of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) visited Iran from January 28 to 30, 2017 to promote export of Basmati rice that was banned since five months. In view negative publicity in Iran media about Indian rice, the promotional event was held at Hotel Espinas Palace in Iranian capital ...
Read More »GENERAL
Missing Obama? Majority Americans Prefer to Have Him Back as US President
Within two weeks after Barack Obama stepped down after completing his two terms as US President, the unpopular Muslim visa ban of new US President Donald Trump has shaken Americans to wish for Obama’s return. However, the Twenty Second Amendment to the US Constitution doesn’t allow it. In an opinion poll conducted by the Public Policy Polling after surveying 725 ...
Read More »India Ropes in Italian Firm to Avoid Rail Accidents, Maintain Railway Safety
Indian Ministry of Railways and Italian state-owned Ferrovie Dello Stato Italiane Group, managing the Italian railway sector, have signed on Thursday an MoU for cooperation in rail safety and train operations. The MoU covers areas of safety audit of Indian Railways and measures for enhancing safety in train operation, Assessment and certification of advanced technology based safety products and systems ...
Read More »India Signs Agreement on $201 Mln Loan From World Bank for Quality Tech Education
India has signed an Agreement for IDA credit of US$201.50 million for the “Third Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme” (TEQIP III) on February 1, 2017 in New Delhi. The loan agreement envisages an active funding participation in Indian Engineering Education Institutes and improve the efficiency of the Engineering Education System in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, ...
Read More »Festival of India to be Held in Senegal
A Festival of India is being organized in Senegal from 26 January to 28 February, 2017 to showcase diverse Indian culture, including classical and folk dance, music and an exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi. The following events will be held in the Senegal capital City of Dakar: · Kathak Dance by Richa Jain and Group from 27-29 January, 2017. · Bharatnatyam ...
Read More »India Provides NRs.24.9 Lakh to Nepal for Highway Projects
Indian embassy in Nepal has handed over a cheque for NRs.24,97,10,698.17 towards 25 percent of the cost of the four contracted road stretches in Nepal, as part of the aid to support infrastructure development in the Himalayan neighbour. The roads — Birendrabazaar-Mahinathpur, Janakpur-Yadukuwa road, Manmat-Kalaiya-Matiarwa (0-15 km road) and Manmat-Kalaiya-Matiarwa (15-26.660 km road) — are being built under Postal Highway ...
Read More »India’s US Mission in Washington DC Holds Joint Workshop on Defence Preparedness
In view of deepening Indo-US defence scientific cooperation, a Joint Workshop on “Medical and Chem Bio-defence” is being organised by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), Delhi (of DRDO), is being held from 31st January to 2nd February 2017 at the Indian Chancery in Washington DC. The workshop has focused on medical, chemical and biological defense strategies ...
Read More »India Invited as Guest Nation at St. Petersburg Economic Forum 2017
India has been invited as a Guest Country in the St. Petersburg International Forum, Official Spokesperson said, confirmin the news on Wednesday in a briefing to the reporters. “This is to confirm that India has been invited as a Guest Country at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) which will be held in the city of St. Petersburg, Russia ...
Read More »Post-Hafiz Saeed House Arrest, India Seeks Credible Crack Down by Pakistan
In an official response to the preventive detention of Hafiz Saeed and others by Pakistan on Tuesday, India’s spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Mr Vikas Swarup said credible steps by Pakistan required to show its commitment to end terrorism. Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior placed on Tuesday the Jamaat-ud-Dawa and the Falah–e-Insaniyet Foundation under the watchlist. Also the Falah-e-Insaniyet ...
Read More »Foreign Investment Promotion Board to be Demolished Next Year
Presenting the General Budget 2017-18 in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) will be abolished in a phased manner by the end of fiscal year 2018-19. Since the Government has already introduced substantive reforms in FDI policy with more than 90% of the total FDI ...
Read More »Indian Budget 2017 Aims at New Thrust on ‘Ease of Doing Business’
The Indian government has announced in its Budget 2017-18 severral measures to make India a favourable destination for foreign investments by providing an environment of “Ease of Doing Business”. The Finance Minister Mr Jaitley raised the threshold limit for audit of business entities that opt for presumptive income scheme from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 2 crore. Similarly, the threshold ...
Read More »Axe on H1B Visa? US Bill Placed in Upper House; How Indian IT Firms Stack Up?
Finally, the Bill on High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017 has been introduced in the US House of Representatives seeking to double the minimum salary of H-1B visa holders to US$130,000, making it a mockery if American firms deny recruiting locals at a lower cost. Currently, the minimum wage cap on H1B Visa seekers is US$60,000 that was set ...
Read More »Beijing Mission Celebrates Republic Day, Ambassador Gokhale Unfurls Flag
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”, ...
Read More »Indian Embassy in US Observes Martyr’s Day
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 ...
Read More »Sri Lankan Navy Commander Visits Delhi, to Proceed to Goa, Kochi Next
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 ...
Read More »Nepal SAARC Meeting on Feb 1 to Decide on Next Summit Schedule
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 ...
Read More »Trump Ban on Immigration Unnerves Indian IT Workers in US
India, first among the countries playing to the gallery when congratulating US President-elect Donald Trump, is slowly biting its fingers for the knee-jerk reaction as the first week of his presidency has clearly spelled Doomsday on H1B visas, while the ban on Muslims from 7 countries, though partially, was rolled out in haste. Though a New York federal judge issued ...
Read More »Republic Day Celebrated in Kyiv, Ukraine; Tunis, Tunisia
Indian Republic Day function was celebrated with traditional fervor and gaiety at the Embassy of India, Kyiv on Thursday morning. Flag hoisting ceremony was performed by Indian Ambassador Manoj K. Bharti, which was followed by singing of the Indian National Anthem. Mr Bharti later read out speech of Indian President on the occasion, which was well attended by the Indian ...
Read More »68th Republic Day celebrated in Indonesia at Indian Embassy
The 68th Republic Day was celebrated at the Embassy of India in Jakarta, the Consulate General of India in Bali and the Consulate General of India in Medan with traditional gaiety and fervour on Thursday. Mr. Manish, Deputy Chief of Mission, hoisted the National Flag at the Indian Embassy premises as large gathering of Indian nationals and members of Indian ...
Read More »Indian Republic Day Celebrated in Venezuela
The 68th Republic Day of India was celebrated in Caracas at the Indian Embassy Residence on Thursday. India’s Ambassador Rahul Shrivastava unfurled the national flag and read out President of India’s address to the nation on the eve of the Republic Day. More than 60 members of the Indian community and friends of India in Venezuela participated in the event. ...
Read More »