The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal launched the curtain raiser of Global Maritime India Summit (GIMS), 2023 in Mumbai today. The event is aimed at unlocking potential for new investment opportunities along with collaborations for knowledge and technology to enhance cooperation in trade and promote Ease of Doing Business (EODB). The event was attended by the Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Tourism, Shri Shripad Naik among others.

Addressing the Curtain Raiser for the upcoming Global Maritime India Summit 2023, Shri Sonowal emphasised the vital role of the maritime sector in India’s economic progression and the potential it holds for the Asia-Pacific region. “India can lead from the front,” said Sonowal. He added that India’s maritime sector is poised for growth, owing to proactive government policies around, ports, shipping and inland waterways.

The Minister said, “The huge potential of India’s marine sector can play a significant and pivotal role in elevating the economic cycle towards an Atmanirbhar Bharat by 2047 – a vision of our dynamic Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji. As key driver of India’s maritime sector, our ministry has been organising the Global Maritime India Summit, to create value from the vast potential of India’s rich maritime sector. With an identified investment opportunities of more than ₹10 lakh crores in the maritime sector of the country, we are standing at a threshold of a major economic upswing which can generate employment opportunities for more than 15 lakhs youth of India. This summit has been designed to explore and examine riches of India’s Blue Economy. We hope that the best minds of maritime sector will hedge their goodwill, intent, intelligence and skills to produce a roadmap for a sustainable development of maritime sector as well as our country.”

Shri Sonowal further added, “We invite all the maritime stakeholders in India and globally to be part of these investment opportunities. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, India is spearheading the advancement of regional trade within BIMSTEC region, taking a prominent role in the development of various regional projects. India is actively driving the establishment of 5,000 km of multi-country waterways, a significant initiative that will effectively facilitate trade and transportation across the region.”

The curtain raiser event is aimed at creating a global forum of thought leaders as well as industry captains from maritime sector to harness the immense potential of Blue Economy and draw a roadmap to unlock value through creation of investment opportunities in the maritime sector of India. The forum will provide a platform for start-ups, researchers, incubators and innovators to showcase their technology & expertise. The focus areas of GMIS, 2023 are Ports of the Future; Decarbonization; Coastal Shipping & Inland Waterways Transportation; Shipbuilding, repair & recycling; Finance, Insurance & arbitration; Innovation & technology; Maritime Safety & Security and Maritime Tourism.

The Union Minister said, “India stands firmly on its commitment to developing environmentally conscious shipping solutions. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, India proudly occupies the second rank in recycling worldwide, with a clear objective to ascend to the top position within the forthcoming two decades. To propel this vision, we plan to inaugurate carbon-neutral alternatives and boost the use of battery-powered vehicles and apparatus in our major ports. With a vast coastline and over 200 ports, India holds a strategic position in global trade. The country has made impressive strides under transformative initiatives like Sagarmala and the Prime Minister’s Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which have modernised port infrastructure, enhanced connectivity, and facilitated port-led industrialisation.”

Speaking on occasion, Shri Shripad Naik, said, “The Global Maritime India Summit 2023 represents a crucial milestone in our efforts to position India as a global maritime hub. Through collaborative discussions and strategic partnerships, we aim to propel our maritime sector towards sustainable growth, bolstered by innovation and cutting-edge technology.”

Shri Rajiv Jalota, Chairman, Indian Ports Association & Mumbai Port Authority; Shri Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways; Shri Bhushan Kumar, Joint Secretary (SM), Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways; Shri Rajesh Tandon, CEO, Foreign Owners Representative, Ship Managers Association; Shri Anil Devli, CEO, Indian National Shipowners Association; Shri Dhruv Kotak, Chairman, Ports & Shipping, FICCI Committee on Transport Infrastructure & MD, JM Baxi Group along with Shri Shailesh Pathak, Secretary General, FICCI also spoke on the occasion.

The curtain raiser concluded with the unveiling of the official GMIS 2023 brochure and the launch of the event’s website and mobile app to provide a comprehensive overview of the summit’s agenda and thematic sessions and will serve as essential resources for participants.

About Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS), 2023:
GMIS 2023 is a premier maritime sector focussed event to bring together pivotal figures from the industry to explore opportunities, understand challenges, and stimulate investment within India’s maritime sector. Building upon the legacy of its preceding editions, this third instalment aims to unveil broader prospects for domestic and international maritime stakeholders and investors. Ready to make its presence felt on the global stage, and spotlight India’s maritime industry, the Maritime India Summit has now evolved to the ‘Global’ Maritime India Summit this year. The summit is slated for 17th to 19th October 2023, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, with FICCI as the exclusive industry partner.

For more details on the Global Maritime India Summit 2023, including a complete agenda and registration details, please visit the official website at www.maritimeindiasummit.com

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah chaired the Regional Conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ organized in New Delhi today. In the presence of Union Home Minister, more than 1.40 Lakh kg of narcotics of worth Rs. 2,378 Crore were destroyed in different parts of the country by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in coordination with Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of all states, which is a record for single day.

Chief Ministers of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Uttarakhand, Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, Lieutenant Governors of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Delhi attended the conference. The Minister of State for Home, Odisha also participated in the conference. The Union Home Secretary, Director General of NCB, and senior officials from various security agencies and related ministries and departments of Government of India also attended the conference.

In his address Shri Amit Shah said that in a country like India, drug trafficking and their usage not only ruins the future generations, but also affects national security. He said that the Ministry of Home Affairs, is continuously running a campaign against drugs through the meetings of Regional Conferences and these meetings are being held to review them and make timely changes in our policies based on the feedback.

Union Home Minister said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has set a target the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav that India and its youth should become drug-free by the time the centenary of the country’s independence is celebrated. He said that it is the aim of Modi Government to create such an India where not even a single youth is addicted to drugs and to achieve this it is necessary for the states and the Centre both to work together. Shri Shah said that today is the birth anniversary of Paramveer Chakra awardee Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon. On this occasion he paid tribute to Paramveer Chakra awardee Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon on behalf of the entire country and the Government of India.

Shri Amit Shah said that construction of a new building for Amritsar Zonal Office of NCB at a cost of Rs. 12 crore, inauguration of Bhubaneshwar office and Bhoomi Pujan of a new office in Delhi have also been done today. He thanked the Government of Odisha and Government of Punjab for cooperating with NCB and Government of India by providing land for NCB offices. Shri Shah said that through these offices, NCB will further strengthen the fight against drugs in these two states. He added that a compendium on drug-free India has also been released today. If we disseminate more information related to drug awareness, to District Administration, schools and  NGOs, the fight against drugs will be strengthened even more. Shri Shah said that it is not just a fight to crack down on drugs or achieve complete victory, but the biggest victory in this fight is to create awareness. Shri Shah said that we cannot win this fight until we create awareness against drugs in the minds of the youth and parents of the country.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that today a total of more than 1,40,288 kg of drugs have been destroyed and all the states, especially the NCB, deserve accolades for this. He said that under this campaign drugs worth Rs 2,378 crore have been destroyed today, which is a record for highest quantity of drugs destroyed in a single day. Shri Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, 10 lakh kilograms of narcotics worth more than Rs 12,000 crore have been destroyed in the last one year of Amrit Mahotsav and this is also a record in itself.

Shri Amit Shah said that for the complete prevention of drug abuse, we have to move ahead with equal attention on Drug Detection, Destruction of the network, Detention of Culprits and Rehabilitation of addicts. He said that we have done a great job in the areas of Detection, Destruction and Detention, but our fight will not be successful unless we focus on Rehabilitation. Shri Shah said that with ‘Whole of Government’ approach, Health, Social Welfare Department, Chemical and Drug Department, Education Department, Panchayati Raj Department and State Home Departments will have to come together and work on a single platform, only then the dream of a drug-free India can be realized and we will be able to realise this. He said that for this, along with Cooperation, Coordination and Collaboration, all the departments will have to move forward with ‘Whole of Government’ approach.

Union Home Minister said that a total of 1,250 cases were registered between 2006 and 2013, while 3,700 cases have been registered in the nine years from 2014 to 2023, which shows an increase of 200 percent. A total of 1,360 arrests were made earlier period, which has now gone up to 5,650, which shows an increase of 300 per cent. The quantity of drug seized was earlier 1.52 lakh kg, which has now increased by 160 per cent to 3.94 lakh kg. He said that drugs worth Rs 5,900 crore were destroyed between 2006 and 2013, while drugs worth Rs 18,100 crore have been seized and destroyed between 2014 and 2023, this shows the success of our campaign.

Shri Amit Shah said that now, not only in India but also at the international level, we have replaced the term “Golden Triangle” and “Golden Crescent” with “Death Triangle” and “Death Crescent.” He said that the name “Golden Triangle” may be applicable to the drug traffickers, but for those who are in favour of controlling the drug usage, the appropriate terms are “Death Triangle” and “Death Crescent.” Shri Shah added that this approach is not just symbolic, it represents the intensity and direction of our fight against drugs. He said that there is a need for constant vigilance for elimination of drugs. He appealed to all to lay emphasis on continuity of NCORD meetings to be held in the State and Union Territories for better coordination.

Union Home Minister said that the government, under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has established the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) in 2019, which holds meetings at four different levels. He said that district-level NCORD meetings have proven to be the most effective. He emphasized that states should collaborate with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on financial investigations and refer the cases to ED. Shri Shah said that until we conduct financial investigations of drug traffickers and break their interest chain, our campaign will not be successful. He asserted that our approach should be such that those who consume drugs should be considered as victims, while those who engage in the trade should be marked as culprits. He said that those who use drugs are victims, and our systems should make efforts to bring them back to the right path rather than leaving them to become permanently addicts.

Shri Amit Shah said that we have also created a Seizure Information Management System (SIMS) e-portal, and it should be utilized. Information about the centralized NCORD portal should be percolated to police stations. He said that there is a unified database called National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco Offenders (NIDAAN) and another database for fingerprints known as the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) which should be used extensively. Shri Shah said that 35 States/UTs have established dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Forces (ANTF), and they should be commended. He said that we have also established the National Narcotics K9 Pool, and if states take this initiative forward, the Narcotics Control Bureau can help provide training to them.

Union Home Minister said that states should establish specialized courts against drugs and conduct their prosecution in a fast-track mode. He said that harsher punishment will act as stronger deterrent as it will send a stronger message. Shri Shah added that the confiscation of assets of those involved in the illicit drug trade should be increased. He emphasized that public shaming/boycott of these individuals will discourage others from joining this trade. Shri Shah said that we need to move ruthlessly towards the confiscation of assets. He added that until we strengthen the Forensic Science Labs (FSL), the prosecution will not progress. He emphasized that this is a question of initiative, not resources. Similarly, for the eradication of illegal cultivation, especially in the northern regions, the Chief Ministers of those states need to pay special attention. The Union Home Minister said that our campaign against the drug abuse is a sacred mission to save the future generations of the country, to keep the nation safe, and it should be our top priority.

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Textiles and Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal launched the sale of subsidised Chana Dal under the brand name ‘Bharat Dal’ at the rate of Rs 60 per kg for one kg pack and Rs 55 per kg for 30 kg pack.

The retail outlets of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) in Delhi-NCR are selling the chana dal. The introduction of ‘Bharat Dal’ is a major step taken by the Centre Government towards making pulses available to consumers at affordable prices by converting chana stock of the government into chana dal.

The milling and packaging of the Chana Dal is undertaken by National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) for distribution through its retail outlets in Delhi-NCR and also through the outlets of NCCF, Kendriya Bhandar and Safal. The chana dal, under this arrangement, is also made available to state governments for supplies under their welfare schemes, police, jails, and also for distribution through their Consumer Cooperative outlets.

Chana is the most abundantly produced pulse in India and consumed in several forms all over the India. Chana whole is soaked and boiled to make salad and roasted chana is served as snacks. Fried chana dal can also be used as alternative to tur dal, curries and soups. Chana besan is a major raw material for namkeens and sweets. Chana has multiple nutritional health benefits as it is rich in fibre, iron, potassium, vitamin B, selenium beta carotene and choline which are required by human body for controlling anaemia, blood sugar, bone health etc. and even for mental health.

Union Minister for Education & Skill development & Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan addressed Chintan Shivir organized by Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship in New Delhi today.

Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Ministry of Electronics and IT; Secretary, MSDE Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari and senior officials of the Ministry attended the Shivir.

To foster the growth of entrepreneurship in India, the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE)  organised “Chintan Shvir”, aimed at bringing together various stakeholders, including central ministries, State governments, organizations, institutions, financial institutions, and entrepreneurs, to collaborate and create a unified approach towards promoting entrepreneurship.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pradhan shared his thoughts on capitalising on skill development to spur entrepreneurship and how to reap the benefits of the new digital and creator economy.

Shri Pradhan further said that India is home to world’s third largest startup ecosystem. Young India’s innovation and creativity coupled with supportive government policies like the Digital India, Startup India are enabling our youth to become job creators. The Minister also shared his thoughts on how skill development, technology, digitisation, institutional lending, capacity development and branding can further give boost to entrepreneurship at the grassroots and create millions of nano entrepreneurs from the bottom-of-the-pyramid population.

Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, said that today, young Indians are heeding Prime Minister’s call to become job creators, not job seekers. They aim to propel their traditional family businesses or venture into entrepreneurship as part of their natural evolution. Entrepreneurship is now an opportunity for young Indians across new India, no longer an exception. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that entrepreneurship opportunities differ from state to state. Every individual possesses unique abilities and talents, necessitating the design of tailored entrepreneurship programs that harness their diverse potential, he added.

The event was divided into specific break-out sessions to address various aspects of entrepreneurship development, delve deeper into key focus areas, and propose actionable strategies. The sessions delved deeper into three thematic areas: strengthening the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, fostering financial, marketing, digital linkages and compliances for enterprises, and capacity building, mentoring and handholding.

The first break-out session, strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country, focused on fostering a convergent entrepreneurial ecosystem for supporting the aspiring and existing entrepreneurs from rural and urban areas, including LWE districts, aspirational districts, vibrant villages, north-east region, border areas, etc., bring regulatory reforms and Policy Interventions, promoting and strengthening women entrepreneurship, and creating an enabling policy environment for entrepreneurship.

The second break-out session, Fostering Financial, Marketing, Digital Linkages and Compliances for Enterprises, focused on improving access to finance for small businesses, providing alternative funding models for startups and small businesses, bringing innovative financing mechanisms for entrepreneurs from marginalized communities, exploring market access opportunities, including domestic and international markets, government procurement, and e-commerce platforms, leveraging digital technologies and tools to enhance business operations, productivity, and customer engagement through digital marketing, e-commerce, social media, and online presence for enterprises, and streamlining compliance processes and reducing administrative burdens for small and medium enterprises.

The third break-out session, Capacity Building, Mentoring and Handholding, focused on bringing effective training programs for developing entrepreneurial skills and making entrepreneurship education application-oriented with different training techniques, bringing standardization and embedding of entrepreneurship in education, fostering institutional Network, mentoring and handholding Process, and leveraging emerging technologies (AI, blockchain, IoT) for entrepreneurial growth.

Post the breakout sessions, the groups presented their findings and insights, effectively summarizing the workshop. Each group highlighted key takeaways and proposed actionable strategies to foster entrepreneurship in India. Some of the key takeaways from the workshop included that there is a need to provide continued counselling & mentoring support to entrepreneurs with a convergent approach. They also need to have more access to credit, branding and marketing. Moreover, digital literacy and adoption should be promoted at a better level.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the New Integrated Terminal Building of Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair on 18th July at 10:30 AM via video conferencing.

Enhancing connectivity infrastructure has been a major focus of the government. The inauguration of the New Integrated Terminal Building, built at a cost of around Rs 710 crore, will play a key role in boosting connectivity of the island UT. With a total built up area of around 40,800 sqm., the new terminal building will be capable of handling about 50 lakh passengers annually. An Apron suitable for two Boeing-767-400 and two Airbus-321 types of aircraft has also been constructed at Port Blair Airport at a cost of ₹80 Crore, making the airport now suitable for parking of ten aircrafts at a time.

Inspired from nature, the architectural design of the airport terminal resembles a shell shaped structure depicting sea and islands. The new airport terminal building has a number of sustainability features like Double Insulated Roofing System to reduce heat gain, skylights to provide maximum inlet of abundant natural sunlight during day time to reduce artificial light usage inside the building, LED lighting, low heat gain glazing. Rainwater catchment in an underground water tank, on-site sewage treatment plant with 100% of treated wastewater reused for landscaping and a 500 KW capacity solar power plant are some other features of the terminal building ensuring minimal negative impact on the islands’ environment.

As a gateway to the pristine islands of the Andaman and Nicobar, Port Blair is a popular destination for tourists. The spacious New Integrated Terminal Building will boost air traffic and help enhance tourism in the region. It will also help create enhanced employment opportunities for the local community and give fillip to the economy of the region.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has lauded the foundation stone laying of 2 PM-MITRA mega textile parks in Maharashtra and Gujarat over the last few days.

The Prime Minister tweeted;

“Over the last few days, foundation stones for 2 PM-MITRA mega textile parks have been laid. These parks will come up in Amravati, Maharashtra and Navsari, Gujarat. They will bolster productivity, foster innovation and generate many employment opportunities. “

Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, highlighted India’s remarkable progress in building unicorns and startups, how they have successfully entered areas in emerging technologies, such as AI, Web 3, and deep tech. Speaking at the JITO Incubation Innovation Foundation (JIIF) 6^th Foundation Day & Investors/Startup Conclave in Hyderabad, the Minister engaged with industry leaders and aspiring young entrepreneurs.

Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar emphasised the transformative journey India has embarked upon since 2014. From being predominantly focused on IT and ITes, the next 4-5 years will witness substantial growth for startups and unicorns, the Minister said during his interaction.

“In 2014, our nation’s tech landscape was limited to IT and ITes. However, since then, opportunities have emerged across various domains such as deep tech, AI, data economy, semiconductor design, microelectronics, and high-performance computing. Due to the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi what was once just one-third of the overall tech space has now expanded, presenting immense potential for unicorns and startups. From 108 unicorns I am sure we will reach 10,000 in the next 4-5 years. Today we have over a lakh startups in India and it will increase by 10 times,” the Minister said.

Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar also lauded the collaborative efforts between the industry and the government to enhance skill development. Recognising the historic challenges faced by a significant portion of the population lacking skills, the Minister emphasised the transformative impact of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Skill India initiative.

He said that through strategic partnerships with both big and small companies, the government now works closely to identify necessary skills, creating a comprehensive framework with the active involvement of academia, communities and corporations.

“In 2014 there were 3 out of 4 Indians who were not skilled. Professionals joined the workforce every year unskilled and this was the legacy and the reason why for many years we had many smart people but they went off abroad. Education and skills were available to the elite part of the society and the rest were left to fend off alone and survive on their own. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Skill India  reversed this. We continue to work with the industry in partnership with big and small companies and they tell us what these skills are and the Government partners towards creating a framework that is developed through a network academia. Community and corporate partnerships are very important elements to startups,” the Minister further added.

President of the United Arab Emirates His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi met in Abu Dhabi on 15 July 2023.

Both sides noted that this was the fifth visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to the UAE in the last eight years. Prime Minister Modi last visited the UAE in June 2022 when he visited Abu Dhabi to meet HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to convey his greetings as His Highness assumed the presidency of the UAE. In 2015, Prime Minister Modi became the first Prime Minister of India to visit the UAE in 34 years. This visit was followed by the visit of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India in 2016, then in 2017, when HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was the Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations. Moreover, the India-UAE relationship was formally elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the visit of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India in 2017.

The leaders expressed satisfaction that UAE-India relations have witnessed tremendous progress on all fronts. India-UAE trade rose to USD 85 billion in 2022, making the UAE India’s third-largest trading partner for the year 2022-23 and India’s second-largest export destination. India is the UAE’s second largest trading partner. In February 2022, India became the first country with which the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Bilateral trade has increased by approximately 15% since the entry into force of the CEPA on 1 May 2022.

The leaders noted the significant global roles played by both countries in 2023, with India’s presidency of the G20 and the UAE’s presidency of COP28. The UAE side appreciated the hosting of the Voice of Global South Summit by India in January 2023. The Indian side also commended the UAE for its instrumental role in promoting the Global South’s interests at COP28 and making COP28 a “COP of action.” Both sides also looked forward to further cooperation in plurilateral fora such as I2U2 and the UAE-France-India trilateral cooperation initiative. They noted that such platforms provide greater opportunities for both countries to elevate the partnership to new heights.

Today, in Abu Dhabi, the President of the UAE HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi witnessed the following: I. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a framework to promote the use of local currencies (INR-AED) for cross-border transactions by Governors of the respective Central Banks.

II. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on interlinking payment and messaging systems by Governors of the respective Central Banks.

III. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for planning to establish Indian Institute of Technology – Delhi in Abu Dhabi.

The leaders discussed that developing the Local Currency Settlement System between the two countries to settle bilateral trade is a reflection of mutual confidence. Moreover, it underlines the robustness of the economies in both countries and enhances the economic engagement between the UAE and India. The leaders expressed their interest in strengthening cooperation in the payment systems area by enabling integration between their instant payment systems to process cross-border transactions between the UAE and India more efficiently. Such cooperation will also include the mutual acceptance of domestic card schemes by interlinking national card switches. Integration between these systems will enhance access to payment services for the benefit of the citizens and residents of the two countries.

The leaders reiterated their resolve to further strengthen investment ties between the two countries. In this context, they appreciated the efforts of the bilateral High-Level Joint Task Force of Investments. They acknowledged that the UAE became the fourth largest investor in India in 2022-2023, compared to the seventh in 2021-2022. They appreciated the plan of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) to set up a presence in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), a financial free zone in Gujarat, in the next few months. This will further facilitate investment opportunities for the UAE in India.

The leaders also discussed the significance of the tripartite MoU between the Ministry of Education of India, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Delhi) and Abu Dhabi Department of Education & Knowledge (ADEK) for the establishment of IIT Delhi – Abu Dhabi. In February last year, during the Virtual Summit between the two leaders, they agreed to establish the Indian Institute of Technology in the UAE. Both sides have worked tirelessly over the past two years to make this vision a reality. The two leaders expressed their endorsement and approval that IIT Delhi – Abu Dhabi will become operational by January 2024 by offering a Master’s program in Energy Transition and Sustainability. Other Bachelor, Master’s and Ph.D. Level programs are expected to be offered from September 2024, in addition to establishing research centers in the fields of sustainable energy, climate studies, computing, and data sciences.

The leaders resolved to further enhance bilateral partnership in the energy field, both in oil, gas, and renewable energy. Both sides will take forward their cooperation in Green Hydrogen, solar energy and grid connectivity. Both sides also agreed to increase investment across the energy spectrum, including in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve Programme.

The leaders acknowledged the joint work on issues of climate change, particularly during India’s presidency of the G20 and the UAE’s presidency of COP28. They resolved to work together to make COP28 a success for all.

Recognizing the importance of food security, the leaders reiterated their resolve to promote the reliability and resilience of food supply chains and expand food and agriculture trade, including through food corridors projects in India. The UAE side will complete its consultations with various Indian stakeholders swiftly for the early realization of projects in this area.

The leaders highlighted the importance of the health sector and scope of cooperation bilaterally and in third countries by energizing ongoing health cooperation and further diversifying it. The potential of both countries to become a reliable alternative in global health supply chains of vaccines and medicines was highlighted. Opportunities for collaboration in the growing health infrastructure in the UAE and India were also discussed.

The leaders noted that people-to-people contacts, which date back centuries, are one of the strongest and most important pillars of the historic India-UAE ties. The UAE expressed appreciation that the large Indian diaspora continues to play a significant role in the society and economy of the UAE and further reinforces bilateral relations.

The leaders agreed to further strengthen bilateral collaboration to strengthen maritime security and connectivity in the region to promote prosperity in India, the UAE, and the shared neighborhood. They also agreed to enhance defense exchanges, sharing of experiences, training, and capacity building.

The leaders reaffirmed their joint commitment to the fight against extremism and terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, in all forms, at both the regional and international levels. They agreed to further deepen their bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism, terrorist financing, and extremism. In this context, they emphasized the importance of promoting the values of peace, moderation, coexistence, and tolerance among peoples and stressed the need for all forms of extremism, hate speech, discrimination, and incitement to be renounced.

Both leaders emphasized the importance of multilateralism and called for collective action to promote a just, rules-based global order. The two leaders also expressed satisfaction on the coordination between the two sides on UN Security Council matters, especially in 2022, when both countries served as non-permanent members of the UNSC. Prime Minister Modi commended the UAE’s achievements during the UAE’s term as an elected member of the Security Council. The UAE reiterated its endorsement of India’s bid for permanent membership of the reformed UNSC.

Prime Minister Modi thanked HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his warm hospitality to his delegation. Prime Minister Modi is looking forward to the participation of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the G20 Leaders’ Summit on 9-10 September 2023 in New Delhi.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, exploring emerging areas of collaboration, and promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond.

Prime Minister met H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi over delegation level and one-on-one talks in Abu Dhabi on 15 July 2023.

The two leaders held wide ranging discussions covering various dimensions of the bilateral partnership, including trade & investment, fintech, energy, renewables, climate action, higher education and people to people ties. The discussions also covered regional and global issues.

The two leaders witnessed the exchange of three significant documents:

MoU between RBI and UAE Central Bank for the establishment of a framework to promote the use of local currencies (INR – AED) for cross-border transactions

MoU between RBI and UAE Central Bank for the bilateral cooperation on interlinking their payment and messaging systems

MoU between Ministry of of Education of India, Department of Education and Knowledge, Abu Dhabi and IIT Delhi for planning to establish IIT Delhi – Abu Dhabi, UAE

A Joint Statement was issued after the meeting. A separate Joint Statement on Climate Change was also issued.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 will boost Space StartUps and Space entrepreneurs.

Addressing the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance Summit here, Dr Jitendra Singh said, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unlocked the Space Sector in 2020 for private participation, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) had made history in November last year by launching successfully India’s maiden private Vikram-suborbital (VKS) rocket. He called upon the young scientists and youth of the G20 Nations to explore the space possibilities through lucrative StartUp ventures even in a Joint Mission Mode to herald a New Age of Space Entrepreneurship.

The Minister informed the gathering that out of 424 foreign satellites launched till date by India, 389 were launched in the last nine years of the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also added that from January 2018 to till date, ISRO has successfully launched over 200 foreign satellites belonging to major G20 countries including USA, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea apart from satellites of Colombia, Finland, Israel, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain and Switzerland, on-board PSLV and GSLV-MkIII launchers under commercial agreement.

Dr Jitendra Singh called for Public-Private Participation both at the national and international level, particularly among G20 countries to vigorously pursue the business in Space and other allied sectors.

Dr Jitendra Singh also pointed out that during the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States, it became clear that America treats India as an equal partner and collaborator in space exploration. He said NASA is today soliciting India’s astronauts and the Artemis Accord, where India is also one of the signatories, is also proof of India’s great Space march.

The Minister said, Prime Minister Modi, who concluded his visit to France yesterday, discussed with President Emmanuel Macron cooperation under key pillars of this partnership, including Space, security, civil nuclear technology, counter terrorism, cyber security, climate change and integration of supply chains among others.

Coming back to the theme of the conference, Dr Jitendra Singh said, at a time when the role and importance of India and that of the Prime Minister is rising day by day, it is only fitting that the Presidency of G20 is with the country this year. He noted with satisfaction that today India is the fifth largest economy in the world and it hopes to become the third largest in the next 10-15 years.

Dr Jitendra Singh took pride in the fact that India has a strong network of science and technology institutions and trained manpower. It has the third-largest scientific and technical manpower in the world. India has over 1000 universities. India’s GERD as a percentage of GDP stood at around 0.65 per cent.

The Minister informed that very recently, the Government of India has introduced a new fellowship scheme to connect the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEMM) diaspora of India with Indian academic and research and development institutions for collaborative research activity that will lead to sharing of information, wisdom, and best practices in the frontier areas of science and technology. The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology, will implement the Vaishvik Bhartiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) fellowships programme, he added.

Referring to a recent global report, Dr Jitendra Singh said, India had lifted about 415 million people out of poverty in the last 15 years and none other than the United Nations has lauded the country. A big credit for this goes to Prime Minister Modi and the various schemes that the government has initiated in the last ten years under his Prime Ministership, he added.

Dr Jitendra Singh said during the Q&A session that the World has begun to expect from India and this is happening very fast. Giving the example of COVID Pandemic, HE SAID, IT WAS India who produced World’s first DNA vaccine and gave to the world, besides sharing the COWIN Platform for vaccination.

The Minister said India has not only launched the Hydrogen Mission, it is also one of the key players of Solar Alliance. He said, the National Quantum Mission approved recently by Cabinet is also a pointer of India’s great Scientific Stride.

Dwelling on the theme of the Conference- A Sustainable World: 2047-Role of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh said, as a global community, we have our individual and collective responsibilities towards the net-zero goals of COP 26 and also the SDG goals of the United Nations. A major driver for these will be Science and Technology.

In his concluding remarks, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the theme of this Summit is ‘Hum’ that denotes togetherness in Hindi. Truly, we are One Earth, One Family and in the above spirit, India in its G20 Presidency is committed to share its knowledge, wisdom and processes with other countries of the Global South. He said, as we all know, humanity and the world is concerned about climate change and therefore, we should rise above all differences and work towards One Humanity, for which Science and Technology can play a vital role.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi attended Bastille Day Parade as Guest of Honour at the invitation of H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of France, on the Champs-Élysées on 14 July 2023.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, 241 member tri-service Indian armed forces contingent led by a military band also participated in the Parade. The Indian Army contingent was led by the Punjab Regiment, along with the Rajputana Rifles Regiment.

Rafale Jets of the Indian Air Force, from the 101 Squadron from Hashimara, formed a part of the fly past during the parade.

July 14 marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789 during the French revolution, that symbolizes the democratic values of ‘Liberty, Equality and Fraternity’, the central theme of both the Indian and French constitutions.