Monthly Archives: January 2017

Trump to Call Modi Today

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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 to Visit as Chief Guest for Republic Day 2017

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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.

Budget Panel Submits Report on Expenditure Management

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The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Committee headed by Mr. N.K. Singh presented its Report on Monday to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Mr. N.K. Singh, former Revenue and Expenditure Secretary and former Member of Parliament presented the Report to Mr Jaitley in his office in North Block in New Delhi.

The panel was constituted in May 2016 to review the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act under Mr. N.K. Singh and it consisted of Dr. Urjit R. Patel, Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Mr Sumit Bose, former Finance Secretary, Dr. Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser and Dr. Rathin Roy, Director, National Institute of Public Finance & Policy (NIPFP) as members.

The Committee had wide ranging Terms of Reference (ToR) to comprehensively review the existing FRBM Act in the light of contemporary changes, past outcomes, global economic developments, best international practices and to recommend the future fiscal framework and roadmap for the country.

Subsequently, the Terms of Reference were enlarged to seek the Committee’s views on certain recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission and the Expenditure Management Commission, related to strengthening the institutional framework on fiscal matters as well as certain issues connected with new capital expenditures in the budget.

The Committee held extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders. It also received inputs from eminent national and international organisations and domain experts. The Committee also held interactions with various Ministries of Government of India as well as with the State Governments.

The Government will examine the Report and take appropriate action, which may form part of the budget this year or the next.

PM Presents National Bravery Awards to 25 Children

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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.

2017 Republic Day Parade: 17 States, 6 Ministries to Showcase Tableaux

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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.

World’s 250 Top Business Schools List Released; IIM-A Tops From India

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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 Handed Over to India

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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.

Trumpeting ‘America First’ Theory Far-Fetched But Feasible

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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.”

Sushma Swaraj Twitter Seva to Help Abducted Indian in Malaysia

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Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, known for her Twitter-based interaction with Indians abroad who require help, has responded to a Twitter message from an NRI in Malaysia who had sought help.

Yogendra singh, an Indian national had asked for her help through twitter saying that his father was abducted in Malaysia for ransom on January 17.

Soon Sushma Swaraj responded saying the Malaysian mission is following it up with the local police authorities: “I have received a report from our Commissioner in Malaysia. He is following this with Malaysian authorities/ police.”

She said, “I share your concern. Our High Commissioner in Malaysia is in touch with the Police. He will keep you informed.”

She also said, “We are taking this abduction very seriously. I have asked Indian High Commissioner in Malaysia to keep me informed on daily basis.”

Earlier, Sushma Swaraj helped a couple on honeymoon when the groom was facing delay in getting a passport and visa to the Gulf. Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs kickstarted Twitter seva to help people who are in distress when abroad.

In another response to twitter-based queries, she has asked the citizens stranded abroad to register on MADA and then tweet to respoective Indian missions.

“In case you are stranded abroad, pl register on and give MADAD ID no.and details of agent to  .”

IORA Special Fund for Indian Ocean Rim Countries Set up

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Indian ministry for MSME finalised MoU on MSME Cooperation with Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) member countries that will be effective once signed by 5 countries. The MoU finalized would be signed soon at an appropriate forum, said a statement.

The focus areas of the Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) include finalising linkages and alliances amongst MSMEs organizations, associations and various institutions engaged in MSME development in their countries, exchange best practices, policies and programs for MSME development, exchange greater involvement of MSMEs in the global supply chain, increase their market access, promote youth and women’s economic empowerment and encourage synergies with the IORA forum.

IORA Secretariat at Mauritius will be the coordinating agency for the implementation of the MoU and the IORA special fund created for the member countries will be used for it.

A Workshop on MSME Cooperation amongst IORA member countries was organized by India in the Economic Business Conference – II (EBC- II) held in Dubai in April, 2016, where 29 representatives from 14 member countries — Mozambique, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Comoros, Kenya, Seychelles, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, Australia, UAE and Yemen participated.

The MoU for MSME Cooperation amongst Indian Ocean Rim Association member countries will provide an appropriate platform to IORA MSMEs to explore trade and investment opportunities, enhance market access, promote access to finance, promote innovation as a key competitive advantage for MSME, build capacity in management and entrepreneurship.

MSMEs constitute more than 90% of all business enterprises in the world and provide nearly 70% of global employment. The overwhelming majority of MSMEs in the developing world are micro-enterprises with fewer than 10 employees. India has more than 48 million MSMEs, which contribute more than 45% of India’s industrial output, 40% of the country’s total exports and create 1.3 million jobs every year.

India has already signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with 18 countries for cooperation in MSME sector. The National Small Industries Corporation of India, Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of MSME has 34 MoUs with its counterpart organizations of foreign countries for cooperation in MSME sector.

Haj 2017: Meningitis Vaccination Made Compulsory for All

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Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health has announced that vaccination against meningitis is mandatory for all Haj pilgrims in 2017 and it said a flu shot was also recommended, besides the usual quarantine requirements based on the country of origin.

“Meningitis vaccination should be taken at least 10 days before pilgrims arrive into the holy cities,” Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Mirghalani told Arab News and added that it is valid for a period of three years.

Meningitis, a serious condition affecting the neck may spread during Haj because of pilgrims coming from endemic countries and the vaccination is fiven to adults and children aged two and above but not pregnant women.

The ministry’s national scientific committee will act as the command center for the pilgrims to monitor their vaccinations and health condition during the pilgrimage. Apart from meningitis, other diseases, such as Ebola, coronavirus, yellow fever, polio and vaccination against seasonal influenza virus would be implemented strictly this year, he said.

Yellow fever-endemic countries are identified as Angola, Benin, Sudan, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic (CAR), Cameroon, Burundi, Chad, Uganda, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Togo, Kenya, Liberia, Sao Tomé and Principe, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mali, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Brazil, Bolivia, Suriname, Peru, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina and Paraguay. Visa application for Haj will have to be accompanied by a vaccination form against fever in these countries.

An oral dose of polio is also compulsory for pilgrims coming from Uganda, Kenya, Benin, Angola, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, CAR, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia for all ages.

In addition, the flu vaccine is strongly advised though it is not made mandatory. Those with chronic ailments, such as diabetes, hypertension and renal diseases, have been advised to take the flu vaccine, which will help them to perform Haj and Umrah rituals more efficiently. The minister also advised pilgrims to pack food items in tightly sealed containers.

Raisina Dialogue 2017 Concludes

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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”.

India, Vietnam Sign MoU for Cyber Security Cooperation

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The Indian Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Vietnam in the field of Cyber Security that was signed between Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and the Cyber Security Department, Ministry of Public Security, Vietnam on 3rd September 2016 at Hanoi.

The MoU intends to promote closer cooperation for exchange of knowledge and experience in detection, resolution and prevention of cyber security-related incidents between India and Vietnam.

“Implementation of the MoU will result in significant mutual benefits in the cyber security sector, through institutional and capacity-building in the field of cyber security in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” said a statement.

India and Vietnam, both neighbours to China, have been facing several issues related to hacking of the websites and compromising with the loss of crucial intelligence data for over a decade. A cooperation between the two will entail building a safety network between the two countries which are making headway in terms of information technology.

Earlier, both India and Vietnma had signed an MoU on Cooperation in the field of IT, through institutional and capacity-building in the field of IT and Human Resource Development for a period of five years to be renewed with mutual written consent. A Joint Working Group on IT with representatives from both the countries was also set up.

ISRO to Explore Space With Japan Agency JAXA

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The Indian Cabinet has been apprised of the MoU signed between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for cooperation in the field of outer space exploration, which was signed on November 11, 2016 during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Tokyo.

The MoU seeks to pursue future cooperation in outer space exploration activities and in pursuing space research activities in space science technology and applications including earth observation, satellite communication and navigation; exploration and space sciences; Research and development of space systems and space technology; and Space industry promotion.

ISRO and JAXA will bear the costs of their respective activities under this Memorandum, unless they decide otherwise in writing. Ability to fulfil their respective roles and activities under this Memorandum and its relevant separate Implementation Arrangement is subject to their respective funding procedures, the availability of appropriated funds and their respective national laws.

India and Japan have been cooperating in the field of space research for over 5 decades and carried out several studies in the field of atmospheric study, observation of universe and scientific investigation in remote sensing.

The formation of JAXA by Japan in 2003 opened up gates for joint studies and potential future cooperation in the field of outer space under a pact signed in October 2005 between ISRO and JAXA. Subsequent pacts addressing lunar exploration, satellite navigation, X-ray astronomy and Asia Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) were also signed.

During the ISRO-JAXA bilateral meeting held at New Delhi on April 05, 2016, both sides prepared the draft of a new ‘Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ISRO and JAXA concerning cooperation in the field of outer space that was signed on November 11, 2016 at Tokyo during the visit of Prime Minister of India to Japan.

Obama Makes Last Official Call to Modi on Hotline

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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.

Indian Cabinet Approves MOUs with United Arab Emirates

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The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Memorandum of Understanding between India and United Arab Emirates for cooperation in the field of Small and Medium Enterprises and Innovation. The MoU will benefit Indian SMEs and lead to equitables and inclusive development, said a statement.

The exposure to best practices in SME sector abroad would provide an opportunity to Indian SMEs to improve upon them and innovate further. It would also provide to Indian SME sector an opportunity to have a mutually beneficial relation with SME sector of the United Arab Emirates and to explore their markets.

The Cabinet also approved an MoU with UAE on Institutional Cooperation in Maritime Transport that will pave way for facilitation and promotion of maritime transport, simplification of customs and other formalities, wherever possible, observed in Ports and facilitation of the use of existing installations for the disposal of waste.

The MoU entails Shipping Companies in both countries to enter into bilateral and multi-lateral arrangements for trade. In addition, a pact on bilateral Cooperation in the Road Transport and Highways Sector to be signed between the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, India and the Federal Transport Authority – Land and Maritime, U.A.E. was also approved.

The proposed MoU envisages increased cooperation, exchange and collaboration between India and the UAE, and will contribute to increased investment in infrastructure development and enhance logistics efficiency. This will help in promoting safe, economical, efficient and environmentally sound road transport in the country and will further help both the countries in creating an institutional mechanism for cooperation in the field.

Festival of India to be Held in Netherlands on Jan 26, 27

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A Festival of India is being organized in the Netherlands from 26 January – 27 March 2017 to showcase diverse Indian culture, including classical and folk dances, music, and exhibition on hand-made ethnically sourced silk clothes and accessories.

The events will be held in the cities of The Hague, Amsterdam, Rotterdam/Maastricht, Utrecht, Eindhoven and Groningen.

During the Festival, the following events will be showcased:

A 13-member Kathak Dance by Aditi Mangaldas Kathak Dance Group ;

A 15-member Bhojpuri Folk Dance from North Zone Cultural Centre ;

A 4-member Classical Instrumental Music Group of Subhash Ghosh ;

A 3-member Exhibition-cum-Demonstration on Handmade ethnically sourced silk clothes and accessories by Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Director, Sewa Bharat ; and

A 10-member Bhartnatyam Dance by Dr Sanddhya V. Pureccha.

The Ministry of Culture is holding these festivals abroad and Cambodia in January while in Ghana, the Indian mission will hold a Festival of India in four cities of Ghana from January 25 to March 16, 2017.

Obama Pardons WikiLeaks Soldier Chelsea Manning

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US President Barack Obama has one commendable exception to his term when he commuted the sentence of soldier Chelsea Manning in Wikileaks Case, which may free her in 4 months instead of 2045 as she was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Chelsea Manning was convicted of stealing secret diplomatic and military documents and disclosing them to WikiLeaks. Others who had been granted pardon included retired Marine General James Cartwright, a former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in Iran’s nuclear program.

Unlike Edward Snowden, who leaked classified documents in 2013 and then fled the country, the White House said Manning did not try to avoid facing the U.S. justice system. “Chelsea Manning is somebody who accepted responsibility for the crimes she committed,” a senior White House official told Washington Post on the condition of anonymity.

Besides Manning, Obama granted clemency to 209 individuals and pardoned an additional 64. He is expected to grant more commutations before January 20 when he leaves office. Obama has commuted 1,385 sentences since 2014, almost the same as all 12 previous US presidents did commute together. Of those, 540 low-level drug offenders had been serving life sentences.

The commutation of Manning’s sentence, the White House officials said, has nothing to do with a recent pledge by Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, that he would agree to be extradited to the US, if Manning’s sentence was commuted.

Manning was arrested in Iraq in May 2010 for transmitting documents to WikiLeaks pertaining to the Iraq and Afghanistan “War Logs”, videos, documents on Guantanamo Bay prisoners, besides 250,000 State Department cables. Chelsea Manning, a transgender by admission, said the motive to raise public awareness about the effect of war on innocent civilians. She tried to commit suicide twice in her prison.

Finance Ministry Denies Links With Tainted UK Note Printing Company

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Following reports in sections of media stating that the Union Government has compromised the national interest by collaborating with a tainted UK based Note Printing Company, a statement from the Ministry of Finance denied that the company is in any way involved in printing new currency notes.

A report in November by Sabrangindia.com alleged that the blacklisted company, De La Rue (now renamed KBA Giori) for its reported involvement in the Panama papers scam, was still supplying paper for new notes. It was blacklisted following an investigation by the CBI in 2011 for its alleged role in dealings of counterfeit currency.

Clarifying on such reports, the ministry said, the UK firm had been supplying bank note paper till 2010 and as per the decision taken in 2013, the company was permitted to supply a security feature for bank notes till December 2015.

No fresh contract has been given to this company by the Government during the last three years, it said. The Security Clearance for this company has been withheld by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India and hence no fresh orders have been placed with the said company since 2014.

However, the company has applied for setting-up a factory in India and no action has been taken on their application, it added.

NSG Membership Can’t be US Gift to India, Says China

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As China reacted adversely to the Obama administration’s reference to India’s membership bid to the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) saying it cannot be a parting gift to a country unless it signs NPT, the outgoing US envoy Richard Verma said eventually the Chinese hurdle would be overcome.

In his farewell address, Mr Verma said US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry had pushed for India’s membership to the NSG and he said the Trump administration would carry it forward, despite opposition from Bijing, which brushed it aside saying admission of non-NPT signatories in NSG cannot be a “farewell gift” for countries to give to each other.

Mr. Verma said, “This is something we will keep working on together. There is a lot of support for India’s membership as we said we strongly support India’s accession in the NSG. These things are complicated, they take time, they are multilateral. We will have to continue to work with those countries including China which may have some concerns. But I believe, at the end of the day, we we will get there.”

Mr. Verma, a political appointee by the Obama Administration, is returning home before Republican Donald Trump takes over as American President on January 20. He said the US has been strongly supporting India’s bid at the NSG, besides its membership at a reformed UN Security Council and other international institutions.

China has been blocking India’s bid for the NSG despite support from a majority of members saying that India is not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT). “I just want to point out that NSG membership shall not be some kind of farewell gift for countries to give to each other,” said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson in reaction to Obama’s statement.

China, an ally of Pakistan, wants a two-step approach for admission of countries who have not signed the NPT — Find a solution that is applicable to the admission of all non-NPT countries followed by discussions on admitting specific nations, which eventually allows Pakistan as well.