Modi, Xi to hold bilateral on sidelines of SCO meet

Source: The Hindu Business Line, June 07, 2018

New Delhi: Our Bureau Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a bilateral meeting on Saturday, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Qingdao.

Modi is likely to have bilaterals with some other leaders as well during the summit, but those meetings need to be firmed up, said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.

Iranian President Hassan Rohani, who is an invitee to the SCO summit, is also likely to have a bilateral with Modi to discuss the recent US economic sanctions on the country, said an official keeping track of the visit.

India, which became a member of the SCO last year, will be represented at the summit for the first time. Pakistan, too, became a member last year.

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As US sanctions loom, India and Iran to begin trade talks

Source: The Economic Times, June 07, 2018

NEW DELHI: India will soon begin talks with Iran on a trade accord just as the US has turned hostile toward the Persian Gulf nation, threatening it with renewed sanctions after walking out of a nuclear accord with the country.

The first round of formal negotiations on a preferential trade agreement (PTA) will be held between India and Iran by August, said people with knowledge of the matter.

Such an accord will see the two giving duty concessions to each other’s goods, enabling greater market access for India’s pharmaceutical, rice and auto component exports.

India, Indonesia sign 15 strategic pacts, including one on defence ties

Source: Business Standard, May 30, 2018

Jakarta: India and Indonesia on Wednesday elevated their bilateral ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and condemned terrorism in all its forms, including cross-border terror, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held “productive discussions” with President Joko Widodo.

India and Indonesia also signed 15 agreements, including one to boost defence cooperation and called for freedom of navigation in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.

Prime Minister Modi, who arrived in Jakarta last night on his first-ever official visit to Indonesia, was accorded a red carpet welcome on his arrival at the Merdeka palace, one of the presidential palaces in Indonesia, this morning.

Indo-Dutch Start-up Initiative: #Start Uplink to be Launched

Source: IBEF.org, May 23, 2018

New Delhi: With the upcoming visit of the Netherlands’ Prime Minister Mark Rutte to India, Indo-Dutch ties across sectors are all set to get a major boost. The Dutch Prime Minister will be accompanied by the Dutch Ministers for Foreign Trade & Development Cooperation, Healthcare, Infrastructure & Water, and Agriculture & Food and a trade delegation comprising 220 participants, making this the biggest trade mission to India ever.

In an endeavour to further the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, Invest India (host to the Govt. of India’s initiative, ‘Startup India’ under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry) and the Dutch Government are jointly launching the Indo-Dutch #StartUpLink initiative. The official launch will take place on 25th May, 2018 at Taj West End Hotel, Bengaluru. The initiative will fulfil the twin objective of facilitating market expansion for startups in the two countries alongside fostering a joint sense of innovation and entrepreneurship.

MoUs worth Rs 1,500 cr signed with UK: Khattar

Source: IBEF.org, May 17, 2018

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today said ten memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed with the UK for various projects entailing investment of around Rs 1,500 crore with employment potential for around 1,000 persons.

Six MoUs were signed during a meeting with Lord Raj Loomba at the House of Lords, the chief minister told reporters here today.

A delegation led by Khattar arrived back yesterday after a visit to Israel and the UK.

The MoUs signed included that with Pontaq (UK India Innovation Fund), focusing on fintech, smart cities and emerging technologies; UK India Global Business Limited for promoting technology transfer, support services and establishing UK/European companies especially focused on Aerospace and Defence Sectors; Xelba Limited and AU Capital Partners Limited for undertaking Internet of Things (IOT) initiative.

An MoU has also been signed with WKCIC Group for undertaking collaboration in skill development in Haryana, Khattar said.

During the visit, the delegation has explored the possibility of collaboration with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre at Sheffield for setting up a facility in Haryana which would lead to influx of major players like Rolls Royce, Metaltech, Mclaren and Boeing, added Khattar.

He said the delegation also held a meeting with Transport for London (TfL) which provided a broader perspective for implementation of a successful City Transport System for a growing city like Gurugram.

A team from Haryana led by the Transport Minister or Transport Secretary would be tasked to visit UK to understand the principles and seek collaboration with TfL for developing a comprehensive Transport System for Gurugram, Faridabad and other urban areas in Haryana.

 

Cabinet approves India-Morocco MoU to boost cooperation in mining, geology

Source: The Hindu Business Line, May 16, 2018

New Delhi: The government on Wednesday gave ex post facto nod to an agreement between India and Morocco to boost cooperation in the field of mining and geology.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on April 11 this year in New Delhi between the Moroccan Ministry of Energy, Mines and Sustainable development and the Ministry of Mines, Government of India.

“The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its ex post facto approval to the signing of MoU between India and Morocco in the field of mining and geology,”

Ministry of Mines said in a statement.

The MoU will provide an institutional mechanism between India and Morocco for cooperation in the field of geology and mining, the statement said.This cooperation will be mutually beneficial on economic, social and environmental fields in both countries, it added.

“The MoU aims to strengthen cooperation between India and Morocco in the field of mining and geology. The activities involved in the cooperation viz development of geological infrastructure, promotion of mining and geology, training programs and establishment of geological data bank would serve the objective of innovation,” the statement said.

Dutch PM to visit India with biggest ever business mission

Source: The Economic Times, May 11, 2018

NEW DELHI: The visit of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte this month with four cabinet ministers, 15 CEOs and about 220 participants in the business delegation, is the biggest Dutch trade mission to India ever and will further strengthen the relations in agriculture, smart cities, water management, health and R&D.

The Netherlands and India have historical relations going back to the early 17th century and Netherlands is the fourth largest investor of FDI in India.

India and Netherlands have been sources of agro exports/imports for each other. India exports seven times more agro produce than Netherlands exports to India. The Netherlands exports mostly inputs for agriculture, like agro-tech, agro-knowledge, high yield seeds, seed potatos, semen to India. Together India and the Netherlands are a natural fit in Agro.