December 31, 2019
The three helicopters were handed over to Afghanistan
The three helicopters were handed over to Afghanistan during Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s visit to Kabul in December last year.The Indian gift to
Afghanistan has been hailed by the people and government of Afghanistan, and
also by the US.
The three Mi-35 multi-role helicopters India donated to
Afghanistan have made a big difference in the offensive against militants in the
war-torn country, the outgoing commander of US forces in Afghan China
Fiberglass insulated ladder suppliers The three Mi-35 multi-role helicopters
India donated to Afghanistan have made a big difference in the offensive against
militants in the war-torn country, the outgoing commander of US forces in
Afghanistan has said. In January, three multi-role Mi-35 attack helicopters
donated by India were inducted into the Afghan Air Force, giving the country’s
security forces a much-needed lethal teeth against militants groups like the
Taliban.. They’ll have a fourth one coming in pretty soon that will add to their
inventory as well and that’ll make a great difference,†Gen. John Campbell told
the House Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing on Afghanistan
on Thursday.The Mi-35, a comprehensive upgrade of the Mi-24, is a versatile
helicopter gunship with troop carrying capabilities. "They do have three Mi-35s
from India
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December 25, 2019
The doors to domestic corporate investments may be closed
Also, the GST is to be rolled out later in the year, the crucial details of
which have not yet been hammered out. Whatever Modi might say, the economy he
inherited from the UPA government was nowhere near as bad as the one P. Will
Modi-Jaitley take the big step?India is not out of the shadow of Demonetisation
— DeMo, for short — yet, but the Modi government is already set to embark upon
the next experiment — this time, the all-important Budget exercise, set to be
presented on February 1.
The government will also do well to realise that in
2017, and perhaps even next year, private investments by big companies are
unlikely to pick up, even if cheaper credit is now available thanks to the cash
that has been deposited in the banks. By then, the government will also have a
better idea of how long it will take to replenish the cash it sucked out of the
economy, and perhaps even of how long a recovery of sorts might take.
Meanwhile,
the start-up sector, except for fintech companies, has seen funding dry up.At
the same time, small industries, which China
aluminum Household step ladder were doing pretty well on credit offtake
until recently, have been badly hit by DeMo and are going to take some time to
recover.But if Modi-Jaitley must present it on February 1 regardless, then one
must pray that they will at least do so acknowledging that the currency supply
is not going to improve until at least the second half of the fiscal, neither
will the digital economy pick up sufficient scale to fill in the gap. For the
latter, a little loan recovery scheme, just like the black money amnesty scheme,
wouldn’t be out of place, though.0? While the consensus among economists in
India and abroad is that demonetisation may have quashed any chance of a Budget
that can fit that bill 25 years after former PM P.
Narasimha Rao quietly ushered
in Liberalisation 1. Also, the Chinese export model of growth is not available
to India; and after DeMo, neither is the domestic market, at least for the
coming year.The big push for investments and jobs will have to come from FDI.By
the end of March, it will also know the full extent of the banking crisis, due
to bad loans, it has on its hands.0, it’s only fair to say, all bets are off
when anticipating what Prime Minister Narendra Modi may pull out of the
proverbial hat next.These are fundamental, because returning cash supply to
pre-November 8 levels is key to reviving economic activity in the sectors that
have been hurt by DeMo.
As even the Election Commission has said with a level of
exasperation, "heavens won’t fall" if the government presented a Vote on Account
on February 1 and left the Budget for until after elections. He simply tore down
the entire economic system and rebuilt it. The DeMo exercise has been done and
the government already has, in any case, its hands on the money —our money — in
the banks, which it can use to save the banks, it would now be prudent to wait
to know exactly how bad the problem is before making provisions for it.The one
trick that the government can resort to is, of course, loosening the fiscal
strings to compensate for the monetary contraction, and pump money into
infrastructure — this seems to be the recommendation of the Niti Aayog, calling
for China-style coastal economic zones — but availability of funds is not the
only reason why many projects have stalled.Doing so would allow Prime Minister
Modi to gauge the real level of popular support he has for DeMo, partly via the
election results.
Narasimha Rao inherited 25 years ago. Having rushed into one
large exercise without thinking and preparation (and claiming that to be a
virtue) and having put an entire nation to unnecessary hardship and uncertainty,
it would be prudent for the government to not do the same with the Budget.A
budget made now will be full of assumptions — about what exactly the DeMo
exercise has turned up, about GDP growth prospects, about banks’ bad loan
numbers, about the time needed to put cash back into the system, about the
extent of damage DeMo has done to the economy — especially to the informal
economy, which is the bigger, more reliable driver of economic activity and
jobs, and which has been badly hit by the cash ban. Most large companies and
conglomerates are still too deep in debt, but have been let off the Raghuram
Rajan hook. No such demand is being made of Modi, and he should craft an
economic policy with a cool head, drawing on the knowledge of expert economists.
Rao did not whine about it on television.
A conspiracy theorist would, in fact,
read this as one of the motives behind the government’s push to destroy the
informal sector!The time for needless, heedless, politically or ideologically
motivated tinkering or, equally worse, making changes merely to show one’s
strong leadership credentials is over. Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Photo: AP)
Is finance minister Arun Jaitley really set to unveil a Budget that’s being
described as Liberalisation 2. Today, we call him Half-Lion.The big push for
investments and jobs will have to come from FDI.While the government seems
adamant on presenting the Budget just three days before a round of crucial
assembly elections begin, experts believe it may be wiser on its part to put it
off to until after the elections, perhaps choosing instead to present a Vote on
Account for now. A Budget for the vegetable vendor, the kirana trader and the
like, rather than one for Adani and Ambani.What’s more, the government is making
significant changes to the Budget itself, both symbolic and substantial: its
presentation has been advanced to February 1 (and the fiscal year will
henceforth be reckoned from January to December, rather than April-March); there
will be no separate Railway Budget as was the case hitherto, and there will be
no Plan and non-Plan expenditure distinctions. It may be the right time to bring
in multi-brand retail to draw in big bucks, create jobs, and help realty and
construction recover.
The doors to domestic corporate investments may be closed,
but a window to FDI is open, especially in multi-brand retail, with the
potential to create the most important effect — jobs.Perhaps, therefore, this
year’s Budget will do well to focus on the farm and rural sector, pumping credit
to the informal sector in general. Bottomline: the formal economy is unlikely to
perk up this year.V. After all, he would not want to be looking back at his own
legacy and be called anything but a full man !(The author is a Bengaluru-based
economist and commentator).V
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But I had the maximum fun shooting with Anjali and my director
Dipannita is a gorgeous and gentle woman. Chang feels Hollywood films have dealt
with gay characters with utmost dignity, something which Indian movies need to
follow."The multi talented-ness of my character Nischay is not really explored
in the China
aluminum Telescopic ladder series much.Chang feels Hollywood films have
dealt with gay characters with utmost dignity, something which Indian movies
need to follow. Shiv and I don't share any scenes but he is done a good job."
In
the real world, gay men come in all sizes, shapes and types, just like anybody
else," he said. One recent example of a good attempt by Bollywood was Fawad
Khan's character in 'Kapoor & Sons'.In the web series ‘Untag,’ Chang plays
the role of Nischay Barbara and he has made sure he doesn't play the role in a
stereotypical way. He gave me tips on how to be gay."The West has handled gay
and lesbian characters with sensitivity and grace.Besides Chang, ‘Untag’ will
see Anjali Anand, Dipanita Sharma, Shiv Pandit, Andy and Naveen Polishetty.The
actor will be seen playing a gay man in an upcoming web-series.."It really is
amazing how many of us in India tend to go for traditional jobs for survival,
steady jobs under peer pressure or fear of trying something different before
realising our true calling," he added. Now in reel life too through ‘Untag’ he
is seen in a similar mould."
In real life, the ‘Badmaash Company’ actor is a
multi-talented person who can act and sing besides having a degree in dental
surgery.The web series ‘Untag’ is streamed on Voot, a digital video-on-demand
platform from the house of Viacom18. The series 'delves into the lives of
regular people with seemingly harmless tags' and looks at their dreams,
inhibitions and struggles. it has created a very incorrect perception of the gay
community," Chang told PTI. However, one major similarity between this character
and my own life is that we both quit our primary jobs as banker and dentist
respectively to delve into copyrighting and the field of entertainment. I could
never keep my eyes off her and she is played the tough boss to the hilt."My
primary concern was not to be the stereotypical, caricaturish character that our
Bollywood films of the 90s have done to death.."Andy is a past acquaintance and
there is always a lot of fun and laughter when he is around."
Naveen is a
brilliant actor. But I had the maximum fun shooting with Anjali and my director
Ashima Chibber," he added.."I knew that I could be myself and still essay a gay
role convincingly, unless the script required me to have specific traits which
could then have been incorporated. (Photo: PTI) Mumbai: Actor-singer Meiyang
Chang, who will be playing a gay character in a web series, feels Bollywood
needs to handle such portrayals with more sensitivity
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December 19, 2019
This has been the case throughout the history
However, no cooperation can take place in an environment of terror," Mukherjee
said. We do not want to get bogged down by the processes or formats. 19 Indian
soldiers were killed in the attack."We have learnt from our own experience that
sustainable socio-economic development can only be achieved in an environment of
peace, stability and a participatory democracy, and where every section of the
society is an equal stakeholder in political processes and the outcomes.Asked
why India seems to be giving greater priority to alternative regional forums
like the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation (BIMSTEC) over SAARC, he said "our interests lie in fast growth and
development.
Talking about regional groupings like SAARC and BIMSTEC, he made it
clear that there is no possibility of cooperation among SAARC member-states
under the shadow of terrorrism. (Photo: PTI) China Order
made Aluminum ladder manufacturers India is interested in peace, stability
and progress of Nepal, said Mukherjee, who is first Indian President to visit
Nepal in 18 years.""Also, we do not see any competition between cooperation
under the rubric of different regional and sub-regional organisations," he said,
responding to questionsBIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal; Pakistan, a member of SAARC, is not included." "But
we do manage any such differences with sensitivity, goodwill and utmost
understanding of each other's vital interests.The 19th SAARC Summit scheduled in
Islamabad this month had to be cancelled after India opted out following an
attack on an army base in Uri in September by terrorists backed by
Pakistan.India is interested in peace, stability and progress of Nepal, said
Mukherjee, who is first Indian President to visit Nepal in 18 years. "Going
forward, I firmly believe that India and Nepal need to do more to work together
for our common goal of development, peace, economic prosperity and well being of
our two peoples," he said. "An essential dimension of 'neighbourhood-first'
policy is enhancing connectivity in the region physical connectivity, digital
connectivity, trade and transit facilitation, and exchange of ideas," he said.
As close friends, we, therefore, welcome all efforts that lead to enduring peace
and stability in Nepal," he said.."We have also taken new measures to facilitate
movement of goods between Nepal and Bangladesh through India," he said."
With
economic transformation underway in India, new opportunities are opening up for
cooperation between India and Nepal in particular, given our open border and
national treatment accorded to each other's citizens," he said."These lessons
could be of benefit to Nepal as it embarks on its own path of building
democracy," he told Nepalese dailies Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post in an
interview.Mukherjee said India's engagement with Nepal will always be guided by
the long-term interests of both the countries.Madhesis, the inhabitants of
southern plains who share close ties with Indians, had launched months-long
agitation demanding more political representation and had alleged the
Constitution Nepal adopted in September last year was discriminatory to their
interest.Like any relationship of "this depth and intensity, there are times
when we may have differing perceptions on certain aspects," he said on questions
about India's position on the Madhesi protests that led to a blockade of border
checkpoints and caused shortage of essential commodities in the landlocked
country, effectively nosediving the bilateral ties briefly. Kathmandu: President
Pranab Mukherjee has underlined the need to involve every section of the
Nepalese society as "equal stakeholders" in the process of building democracy,
in an apparent reference to the political upheaval over the new Constitution
that had strained Indo-Nepal ties.On Nepal's request to India to allow the
Visakhapatnam Port for transport of its goods, Mukherjee said the facility has
already been made available to Nepal."(And) let us not forget that ours is a
unique partnership, which is driven by extensive contacts between our two
peoples.As a close neighbour, India is interested in peace, stability and
progress of Nepal, said Mukherjee, who is the first Indian President to visit
Nepal in 18 years.
This has been the case throughout the history of India-Nepal
relations," he said.Mukherjee said both the countries have tremendous untapped
potential to boost cooperation in hydropower and connectivity."India continues
to attach importance to cooperation within the framework of SAARC.Asked if India
has reservations on exploring trilateral relations between India, Nepal and
China, Mukherjee said India has an age-old, multi-faceted and time-tested ties
with Nepal.. We remain open to any ideas, which will be mutually advantageous
and enable economic development and well-being of the people of Nepal," he said
without commenting of the possibility of a trilateral engagement. The open
border is its most unique characteristic.Mukherjee said because of the shared
border, developments within Nepal "can impact on the flows across it."Our ties
with Nepal have their own natural logic.
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December 12, 2019
A freak thunderstorm ensures boots replace my bikini
You won’t find hordes of Europeans worshipping the sun gods whilst packed
together on a strip of sand. A strong emphasis of conservation at the park
thanks to the Mauritian brand of passionate, community-driven tourism has
resulted in re-introduction of tortoises on Rodrigues Island. Situated in the
North part of Mauritius, in the heart of a fertile orchard and splendid garden,
lies The Château de Labourdonnais, where endemic plants and large varieties of
exotic trees grow in harmony around a stunning neoclassical Italian style
mansion that spans two levels and is breathtakingly beautiful.
Essentially built
in teak, the house is surrounded by a double colonnaded gallery that protects it
from the sun and allows for improved ventilation. A perfect end to an exciting
adrenaline-filled morning.Defined by azure skies and waters, Mauritius is much
more than a picturesque postcard island (Photo: Wikimedia) Defined by azure
skies and waters, Mauritius is much more than a picturesque postcard islandI’m
standing on a powdery white beach, sipping a rum-laced cocktail, garnished with
a paper parasol. Inside the home has a Victorian feel with magnificent antiques,
bone china and furniture that remind us of how the early colonists lived in pomp
and style.
A freak thunderstorm ensures boots replace my bikini as I reluctantly
trek to ‘The Vanille Réserve des Mascareignes’, a unique park in the South,
filled with lush vegetation, an insectarium and 2,000 Nile crocodiles and the
largest captive group of Aldabra tortoises in the world! Unlike a zoo or
aquarium, the best part of this park is its interactive feel — whether its
feeding the giant tortoises as they amble along or clutching a tiny croc. Four
hundred years of colonial experimentation has created a montage of Hindu
temples, mosques and Chinese pagodas, set amid waterfalls and volcanic
peaks.Rain, rain go awaySometimes the best-laid plans go awry and all hopes of
me spending a lazy week on the beach come to a halt as the weather gods have
other plans. Even the resorts are evenly spread across this 28-mile wide
paradise.
Travelling across the length and breadth of the island (it only takes
about China
aluminum scaffold manufacturers two hours) one cannot escape its
multi-cultural past; several hundred years as a Dutch, French, and then English
colony and its 60 per cent plus Indian population adds another unique cultural
dimension giving it a Caribbean-Creole meets Arabian nights feel. Even Mark
Twain was moved to admit that "Heaven was copied after Mauritius,†so who are we
to argue If dare devilry is not your cup of Vanilla tea (the national drink
after rum) then a visit to Chateau Labourdonnais is a must.Street markets that
lurk away from the glitzy resorts are the best places to sample these savoury
treats. But wait, I’ve saved the best for last — the croc fixation doesn’t just
end there.Mouth-watering MauritiusFinally my favourite part — I also judge a
country by its cuisine because truly great nations produce truly great cooks.
Beyond me the ocean roars as a palette of blues and cobalts merge in perfect
unison.
Another must-do is a visit to the 60-acre Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam
Botanical Gardens where the giant Victoria water lilies and 80 different types
of palm (many planted by Indian PMs) are worth a dekko. Sustainable
sunshineLuckily, the independent government (since 196
chooses to flaunt and
promote its multi-cultural heritage and is determined that tourism in Mauritius
does not suffer the same fate as the dodo, its national symbol! Tourism
flourishes alongside a sensible and enlightened policy of ecotourism and
preservation (a policy that has won the government many international awards)
ensuring the island’s pristine beauty remains untouched.
chooses to flaunt and
promote its multi-cultural heritage and is determined that tourism in Mauritius
does not suffer the same fate as the dodo, its national symbol! Tourism
flourishes alongside a sensible and enlightened policy of ecotourism and
preservation (a policy that has won the government many international awards)
ensuring the island’s pristine beauty remains untouched. On my last day I head
to Port Louis, the Capital to dine on the national snack of Dhollpuri — a
flour-based chapatti stuffed with dal (like a savoury version of the
Maharashtrian puran poli) and topped with a mild curry, pickles and vegetables
all rolled up like a desi Frankie — tangy, spicy yet delicious much like the
soul of Mauritius itself!Fareeda is a travel writer and enthusiast. The resorts
in Mauritius are spread across this 28-mile wide paradise and designed keeping
in mind the island’s colonial past and heritage with turn-of-the-century
plantation houses decked out in teak furniture, evocative shutters and a pastel
colour scheme. Adrift in the Indian Ocean, 1,250 miles off the South-East of
Africa, the island of Mauritius has a truly multicultural soul. Back at the uber
chic Heritage Le Telfair Golf and Spa Resort, I’m pleased to see the sun peaking
out of the clouds so I race to soak on the beach for a while as originally
planned.After my close encounter of the scary kind, the assorted iguanas,
monkeys and bats seem tame as I bravely venture across the Ebony-tree infested
park. Women in sarees and men in lungis float magically past us, as do thatched
cottages straight out of a Goan palm-fringed village.
Indian curries and pickles
are served alongside European favourites like Bouillon de Crabe, which is a
clear but flavourful crab soup and stir-fried noodles from China, all using
locally available ingredients,†she informs. I’m fortunate to have a local
friend Rubeena Vayid Ismail, an expert on Mauritian food who guides me through
the culinary landscape of the country. I’ve finally found a destination to
escape to when the ‘world gets too much’ and solitude and pampering are the
order of the day. "Mauritian food is a mix of native African, French, Chinese
and Indian, with many endemic dishes available only here. At the Park’s
restaurant, I find myself ordering crocodile fritters (yes, you read it
correctly) for lunch
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December 05, 2019
You should be rest assured that there was a sense
During the meeting, Mr Xi told Mr Modi that the two sides should increase
communication and coordination in multilateral affairs and appropriately control
and handle disputes and sensitive problems, Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency
said. In fact, to my recollection, the AIIB China
aluminum Telescopic ladder manufacturers i.
You should be rest assured that
there was a sense that both sides would address each other’s concerns very
seriously,†the foreign secretary said."Entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation
was discussed,†said Mr Jaishankar.Relations between India and China has
witnessed a downturn owing to differences over a series of issues, incl-uding
China blocking India’s move to get Jaish-e-Moh-ammed chief Masood Azhar banned
by the UN, its opposition to India’s bid for NSG membership and China’s Belt and
Road initiative.
Astana: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday
underscored the need to respect each others "core concerns†and appropriately
handle the disputes as he held "cordial†talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping
amid tensions in ties over a host of issues including the CPEC and India’s NSG
bid.It is learnt that Mr Modi and Mr Xi discussed importance of connectivity
including the Bangladesh, China, India Myanmar Corridor (BCIM) but there was no
direct reference to OBOR. It is their first meeting after India boycotted the
high-profile Belt and Road Forum held in Beijing last month in which 29 world
leaders took part.India abstained from the forum to highlight its concerns over
the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which is part of the Belt and
Road Initiative (BRI) and passes through Gilgit and Baltistan in
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Giving broad outcome of the meeting, foreign
secretary S.
He said issues relating to trade and investment were a major
highlight.The two leaders met in the Kazakh capital, Astana, on the sidelines of
the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. BCIM is part of the Chinas
multi-billion dollar Belt and Road initiative (BRI).The Indian side is grateful
for China’s support for India’s accession to the SCO and will work closely with
China in the organisation, Mr Modi said..During the meeting, Mr Modi said the
two sides should tap their potential in cooperation, strengthen communication
and coordination in international affairs, respect each others core concerns and
appropriately handle their disputes.Asked whether the NSG, OBOR and Azhar were
rai-sed, Mr Jaishankar did not give a direct reply and said the meeting was for
taking a broad assessment of the relationship. Jaishankar said the broad thrust
of it was that at the time of global uncertainty, India-China relations are a
factor of stability and as the world becomes more multi-polar it was important
for the two countries to work together more closely."India should focus more on
cooperation and work alongside to provide assistance to each others
developmental goals,†Ms Hua said."There was an understanding that where we have
differences, it is important that differences should not become disputes and in
fact if they were handled well, could even be opportunities,†Mr Jaishankar told
reporters, describing the meeting as "cordial†and "very positiveâ€.She also said
the two sides should press ahead in a major way on Bangladesh, China, India,
Myanmar Corridor (BCIM) besides tourism, culture and other fields.In Beijing,
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing that
both the countries "should also address sensitive and major issues†as she
highlighted the issues figured in the meeting.The meeting between Modi and Xi
came after India boycotted the high-profile Belt and Road Forum held in Beijing
last month.â€When asked whether the recent airspace violation by China was raised
by the Indian side, he evaded a reply, saying "you people must see this summit
level meeting for what it is."The two sides should strengthen the
complementarities of the development strategies and press ahead with the major
cooperation projects such as energy and railways,†Ms Hua said. the Asian
Infrastructure Invest-ment Bank and the BCIM Corridor came up for discussion,â€
he said when asked if China raised the issue of India’s boycott of the
OBOR."There was discussion on connectivity, how we could work together.Mr
Jaishankar said Mr Modi and Mr Xi also deliberated on defence exchanges,
counter-terrorism cooperation and security cooperation.e. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO
Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.Asked about the Chinese stand on Mansarovar Yatra,
he said the broad signal from the Chinese side was that "they accord us
facilities which are very appreciated by the public in India and they understand
that and they would continue to facilitate and expand its possibility.He said
both the countries may have differences, but it is important to find "common
grounds†and address each others concerns "with a degree of seriousnessâ€
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