INDIA Newsletter
#3 2015 August - September
Message from H.E. Mrs. Banashri Bose Harrison Ambassador of India to Sweden and Latvia Dear Readers of the Newsletter, This newsletter brings you information about happenings during August & September this year. For Sweden, the most important event was the first meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Stefan Löfven in New York on 25 September where both leaders were attending the United Nations General Assembly. This was an occasion for them to discuss how to keep up the momentum which President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit in June 2015 had imparted to bilateral relations. The new energy of India-Sweden relations was also reflected in the record attendance at the celebration of India’s 69th Independence Day at India House. It showed the growing numbers of the Indian community members and friends of India. Economic relations between the two countries received a boost with a big India pavilion at Formex 15 and the visit of business delegations from a couple of leading Indian companies such as the global Indian company L&T Technology Services and Chennai-based construction company URC. A focus area of these visits was India’s ‘Smart Cities’, an area which holds huge potential for collaboration between companies of India and Sweden. The beautiful photographs taken by the reputed photographer Babi Nobis (who also happens to be the Swedish Honorary Consul General in Kolkata) had their second exhibition in Sweden, this time in Gothenburg. The Lord Mayor of Gothenburg Ms Lena Malm and the noted Swedish Conservation photographer Mr. Tom Svensson were present at the inauguration of the exhibition “The Indian Tiger: A close up through the Lens of Babi Nobis” in the Gothenburg City Library on August 31. The exhibition of photographs was complemented by panels telling the success story of tiger conservation in India which has seen the number of tigers increase by 30 % between 2011 and 2014. Independence Day of India was also celebrated in Riga, thanks to the support of the Indo-Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Culture with prominent Latvian politicians, senior officials from the Government and academia and friends of India enjoying spectacular cultural performances and Indian food in the Latvian Society’s impressive Gold Hall. Last, but certainly not the least, event of these two months was the first-ever performance in Riga by India’s legendary Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khan. It was a recognition of his stature as well as of the importance attached to cultural ties between India and Latvia that the Speaker of the Latvian Parliament Inara Murniece attended the event, along with many other dignitaries. The packed hall was a testimony to the strong appeal that Indian culture holds for the Latvian people. Let me end by wishing all readers Happy Diwali – the festival of lights which will be celebrated in India on November 11. I would welcome your feedback on the Newsletter. Please send any comments or suggestions to amboffice@indianembassy.se Sincerely, (Mrs) Banashri Bose Harrison / (श्रीमति) बनश्री बोस है रीसन Ambassador of India / भारि की राजदि ू 1
INDIA & SWEDEN
Swedish PM meets Prime Minister in New York Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven in New York on 25 September 2015. According to Official Spokesperson Shri Vikas Swarup, the Swedish PM told the Prime Minister that his country was very keen to keep up the momentum which had been generated following President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit and would like the cooperation with India to continue at a faster pace. The Prime Minister invited Sweden to become a part of the ‘Make in India’ programme, ‘Skills India’ programme and the ‘Smart Cities’ project and also outlined the opportunities that awaited Swedish investments in areas such as railways and renewable energy. There was also substantive discussion on the phenomena of ISIS. There was a discussion on the UNSC reform where, according to the Official Spokesperson Shri Swarup, ‘once again there was a meeting of minds’. “Both Prime Ministers agreed that the UN needs to be reformed, the 70th anniversary presented a useful opportunity to affect the much needed reform. He reiterated the Swedish support for India as a permanent member of reformed and expanded Security Council”, he added.
69th Independence Day’s Flag unfurling ceremony at India House Reflecting their growing engagement with the country of their origin, over 220 members of the Indian community attended the flag-hoisting ceremony for the 69th Independence Day at India House, more than on any similar event on previous National days. The attendees included a large number of children, for many of whom it was a rare opportunity to learn about what is happening in their country. After the unfurling of the Tricolour, the President’s address was webcast to the audience who listened with rapt attention. A short address by the Ambassador followed. She began by asking the audience to observe a silence of one minute in memory of Late President Abdul Kalam, who had made a significant contribution to India’s progress. She then touched on the highlights of the speech given by the Prime Minister from the
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ramparts of Red Fort in the morning. She went on to inform the audience about the highly successful first-ever visit of the President of India to Sweden in from May 31 to June 2, 2015. This landmark visit had given a strong impetus to the India-Sweden relationship and had ensured its bright future. She concluded her remarks by asking all present to do whatever they could to strengthen the ties between the two countries.
British-Indian singer Deepa Nair Rasiya
A short cultural programme followed. The first item was by a group of children who enthusiastically sang a patriotic song. Then the ladies of the Indian Embassy sang a song in praise of India’s diversity. The highlight was a performance by the noted British-Indian singer Deepa Nair Rasiya who mesmerized the audience with her melodious songs. The last item was recitation of a few patriotic poems composed by an Embassy official. The guests deeply appreciated the cultural programme as well as the Indian snacks that followed.
Indian Handicrafts Pavilion at FORMEX'15 Twenty two prominent handicrafts exporters from India displayed their items from 19-22 August at the India Pavilion in Formex 2015. The products exhibited included lamps and lighting, furniture and accessories, candles, incense, Christmas decoration, home textiles, rugs and cushion, housewares, paper products, shawls and scarves. FORMEX is a biannual Swedish trade fair and is the largest interior design exhibition for Nordic design. About 900 exhibitors showcased their products this year at FORMEX'15. Ambassador inaugurated the India Pavilion on 19 August and interacted with the Indian business delegation.
Indian wild life and conservation success story showcased in Gothenburg The Indian Embassy in collaboration with the Gothenburg city organized an exhibition of the photographs of the Indian Tiger by the well-known photographer Mr. Babi Nobis which was displayed at the city library of Gothenburg during August 31 to September 13, 2015. Through the carefully selected photographs, the visitors got a close look at the majestic Indian tiger and its habitat. The exhibition of photographs was complemented by panels telling the success story of tiger conservation in India which has seen the number of tigers increase by 30 % between 3
2011 and 2014. This exhibition was jointly inaugurated on August 31 by the Lord Mayor of Gothenburg Ms Lena Malm and the noted Swedish Conservation photographer Mr. Tom Svensson, in the presence of the Indian Ambassador. The Lord Mayor welcomed this initiative as being in line with Gothenburg’s mission to be “A Sustainable city – open to the world”. Thanks to Tech Mahindra, Indian IT company which has a big presence in the city, the visitors were given a glimpse of Indian culture and food, which was organized by the members of the association ‘RANG’ (a society of present and former Indian students from Chalmers University) .
CEO Breakfast Discussion on 'India's Smart Cities Mission: Strategic Opportunities' Ambassador Banashri Bose Harrison hosted a CEO Breakfast Discussion on "India's Smart Cities Mission: Strategic Opportunities" at the India House in Stockholm on 19 August 2015. The event was aimed at enhancing Swedish participation in the development of' Smart Cities in India. Senior representatives of a number of Swedish companies and agencies participated, including from Atlas Copco, Investor AB/Wallenberg Foundation, the Volvo Group, SAAB, Business Sweden, Envac AB, SEB Bank and Swedish Energy Agency. The keynote speaker was Mr. S.N. Subrahmanyan, Member of Board and Head of Infrastructure and Construction, Larsen &Toubro (L&T), who was accompanied by a strong team, including Mr. Sanjay Jalona, CEO & MD, L&T Infotech, and Mr. Amit Chadha, Member of Board and Head of Sales, L&T Technology Services. Mr. Subrahmanyan made an informative Power Point presentation on "India's Smart Cities Mission: Strategic Opportunities". In the discussion that followed, moderated by Mr. Robin Sukhia,Secretary General of Sweden-India Business Council, he answered queries from the Swedish participants and encouraged them to enhance their participation in the 'Smart Cities' projects in India. He related several success stories and gave pointers for the right approach to doing business in India. In particular, he highlighted vast opportunities offered by the upcoming 'Calcutta-Delhi' Eastern Corridor and 'Mumbai-Delhi' Western Corridor.
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The participants appreciated this useful opportunity to learn more about how to participate in 'Make in India' and 'Smart Cities' programmes of India in a way which would help them to grow along with India.
Hindi Day celebrations Hindi, written in Devnagari script was approved as an official language by the Constituent Assembly at 14th of September in the year 1949 and this day is celebrated every year as the ‘Hindi Day’. To commemorate this memorable day this year, the Indian Embassy in Stockholm organized Essay, Poetry reading and Handwriting competitions for the members of the Indian Embassy. The staff, along with their families, participated with great enthusiasm in these competitions. Even the non-Indian staff of the Embassy joined in. On 21st September, 2015; the results of the competitions were announced and the Ambassador of India presented the prizes to the winners. She thanked all the participants and encouraged them to actively propagate Hindi. She also spoke about the growing international popularity of Hindi.
World Water Week honours the Indian ‘Waterman’ During the 25th World Water Week in Stockholm, the prestigious World Water prize was awarded to India’s “Waterman” Shri Rajinder Singh this year. In his speeches, he praised the Indian Central and State Governments for the priority that has been attached to river rejuvenation programmes and emphasized on the importance of local community involvement. At his suggestion, the Stockholm Water Week included a novel event : a Global Water Walk which was led by Mr. Rajinder Singh, Mrs. Banashri Bose Harrison, Ambassador of India to Sweden and Latvia, and the President of the City Council of Stockholm. From the Indian Government, a 6-member delegation, led by UP Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan, participated in the Stockholm Water Week. Other participants from India included Shri K. Vohra, Commissioner (Indus), Ministry for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation; and the Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS ).
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URC signs Memoranda with Swedish partners for cooperation for ‘Smart Cities’ The CEO of a Chennai-based construction company URC, Mr. D. Kabilan, signed a number of MoUs with different Swedish companies to enhance cooperation in India’s Smart Cities programme, in particular in the city of Erode in Tamilnadu. He and the Swedish partners visited the Embassy on September 10 to brief the Ambassador regarding the planned collaboration.
10th India Trilateral Forum takes place in Stockholm With the support of the Swedish Foreign Office, the German Marshall Fund organized the 10th India Trilateral Forum in Stockholm. Parliamentarians, senior government officials and representatives from business, media and Think Tanks of the US, Europe (including the EU) and India participated in the two-day discussions on economic and political themes on 11-12 September. The Ambassador attended some of the sessions and hosted a dinner for the participants.
Indian Cultural Festival in Uppsala As part of the multi-country Uppsala Culture Night, an ‘Indian Cultural Festival: Incredible India’ was organized at the Uppsala Concert and Congress on 12 September. The Indian pavilion, which was coordinated by Eva Källander, Head of the Kulturum group, included an Indian market of clothes, crafts, food, etc.; puppet dance from Rajasthan; Indian classical, Bollywood and folklore music and dance by Indian and Swedish artistes; photo exhibition of pictures from India by Eva Källander; and screening of Hindi movie ‘English Vinglish’. The day-long events at the Indian Cultural Festival were well attended and appreciated. Pulp and paper delegation from India A 21-member pulp and paper delegation from India visited Sweden from 28-30 September. The visit was partially sponsored by the Swedish Pulp and Paper Technology (PPT) Group which provided local hospitality. Under an informal cooperation between the Indian and the Swedish partner groups, which was reported to be ongoing since 1980s, a maximum of two members of a relevant Indian company are sponsored by the PPT group once in two years, to familiarize them with the latest advancements in the pulp and paper sector. The PPT group comprising 22 Swedish companies is an association formed by the Swedish Trade Council to promote Swedish pulp and paper technology globally. 6
Ericsson CEO calls on PM Modi Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson CEO Hans Vestberg called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2 September. During the visit he announced Ericsson’s plan to invest US $15-20 million to set up its second manufacturing facility in Pune, to be used as an export hub for the company. The company also bagged a four-year 4G network rollout contract in Delhi from Bharti Airtel and signed another four-year agreement with Airtel to expand its 3G network across eight telecom circles in the country.
India-Sweden JWG on defence meets in Delhi The 5th Meeting of the India-Sweden Joint Working Group on defence cooperation was held in New Delhi from 28-30 September. The Swedish side was led by Brig. Gen. Arne Heden, Special Adviser, Ministry of Defence, while the Indian side was headed by Mr. Sanjay Garg, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defence. Apart from the agreed agenda, the discussions focussed on future Indian defence industries. Also, the Swedish delegation visited Bharat Electronics Limited, Ghaziabad.
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INDIA & LATVIA
Independence Day celebrations in Riga The Embassy of India and the Indo-Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Culture jointly celebrated the 69th Independence Day of India in Riga on August 20, 2015. About 130 persons, including members of Indian Community, prominent Latvian politicians, senior officials from Foreign Ministry and other Government Departments and academia and friends of India, attended the event held in the Riga Latvian Society’s impressive Gold Hall. After speeches by the Ambassador and Dr. Atis Lejins, MP and President of the India-Latvia Parliamentary Friendship Group, the guests enjoyed a short cultural programme that included mesmerizing classical dance performances by Latvian artistes and Bollywood dances by a visiting Person of Indian Origin artiste. The guests deeply appreciated the cultural programme as well as the Indian snacks that followed.
From Left: Mr. Kartik Desai (President - Indo Latvian Chamber of Commerce & Chairman of the Board), Ambassador Harrison, Dr. Atis Lejins, MP and President of the India-Latvia Parliamentary Friendship Group and Mr. Harrison (right)
Traditional Bhratanatyam ceremony Arangetram performed by a Latvian artiste for the first time Ms. Larisa, a Latvian danseuse who has studied Bharatanatyam for several years, performed the first-ever Arangetram (the traditional ‘graduation’ ceremony) in Riga on September 12. Her three-hour performance was a display of a dedication and stamina which earned her a standing ovation from the 150-strong audience. The Ambassador, who could not attend, sent a message of appreciation and congratulation to encourage the artiste. The leading Person of Indian Origin organization, the Indo-Latvian Council of Culture and Commerce felicitated the artiste.
Larisa Podskochaya
Ambassador participates in Regional Heads of Missions’ Tour organized by Foreign Ministry The Latvian Foreign Office organized its annual Regional Tour for Ambassadors accredited to Latvia on 24-25 September. The State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrejs Pildegovics personally led the tour. Ambassador Harrison participated in the tour which comprised of a visit to the second largest city of
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Ambassador Harrison and State Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and other Ambassadors accredited to Latvia at the 'Garden of Destiny'
Latvia Daugavpils and to the cross-border region with Belarus.
Ambassador meets the Mayor of Riga Ambassador Banashri Bose Harrison visited Latvia from 28-29 September for various meetings. Among others, she met the Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs and sounded him about support for the next International Yoga day and celebrating an ‘India day’ in Riga.
Progress in India-Latvia cooperation in Ayurveda The Ambassador visited the University of Latvia and met the new University Rector Prof. Indrikis Muiznieks. An amended MoU was signed on the occasion between the University of Latvia and AVP Research Institute in Coimbatore on providing integrative healthcare in Latvia which would incorporate Ayurveda.
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan’s first performance in Latvia a huge success The legendary Sarod player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan gave his first-ever performance in Riga, Latvia on September 29, 2015. The prestigious Congress Hall was packed to capacity. After a spell-binding solo recital by the Maestro, his sons Amman Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan joined the performance which lasted for about two hours and drew repeated and enthusiastic applause. The Speaker of the Latvian Parliament Inara Murniece, who is currently also the Acting President of the country, was the Guest of Honour. Speaking on the occasion, she said that such cultural highlights contribute to the strengthening of India – Latvia relations. The performance was organized by Mr. Sergej Akash Ancupov, a Latvian musician, who has been a long-distance disciple of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan for many years. Ustadji has invited him to perform in India. The event was supported by the Indian Embassy to Sweden and Latvia and the Department of Culture of India.
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INDIA & THE WORLD
Official Visit of Prime Minister to UAE Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid an Official Visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 16 to 17 August, the first by an Indian Prime Minister after 34 years. UAE is India's sixth largest source of energy; a very significant source of investment with a large Indian community of 2.6 million Indians. The Prime Minister and the Crown Prince His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan agreed to elevate the India-UAE relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Rejecting extremism and any link between religion and terrorism, the two leaders denounced terrorism in all forms and manifestations and agreed to establish a strategic security dialogue between their National Security Advisors and National Security Councils.
Prime Minister& Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Recognising that India is emerging as the new frontier of investment opportunities, especially with the new initiatives by the Government to facilitate trade and investment, UAE has conveyed its intent to encourage its investment institutions to increase their investments in India, including through the establishment of UAEIndia Infrastructure Investment Fund, with a target of USD 75 billion. The main sectors identified are railways, ports, roads, airports and industrial corridors and parks.
Official Visit of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to India His Excellency Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka visited India on September 14-16. The fact that Prime Minister Wickremsinghe like President Maithripala Sirisen elected to make New Delhi the first overseas destination after assuming powers is a testimony to importance attached to India - Sri Lanka relations. Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera was a part of the Prime Ministerial delegation. Mr Wickremesinghe called on President Pranab
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Indian Prime Minister with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe calls on President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan
Prime Minister Enda Kenny with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Joint Press briefing
Mukherjee and also interacted with Smt. Sonia Gandhi, President, Indian National Congress and Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External Affairs of India. During the official interaction, Prime Minister Wickreesinghe thanked Prime Minister Modi for the help in resettling and reconstruction in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces. Amongst the issues discussed was the comprehensive economic partnership agreement. Prime Minister Modi assured the visiting dignitary of India's unwavering support and as a close neighbour and friend and wished him every success.
Prime Minister’s Visit to Ireland Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ireland on 23 September, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Ireland in 59 years. During his visit the Prime Minister held discussions with the Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, particularly in the context of the upcoming UN session. The two leaders also had discussions on a broad range of international challenges, including terrorism, radicalization and the situation in Europe and Asia. Prime Minister Modi sought Ireland’s support for India’s membership of the expanded UNSC, NSG and other international export control regimes and assured him counterpart that India’s membership will not only deepen the bilateral cooperation between the two nations, it will also help strengthen international non-proliferation efforts.
PM in USA and the UN General Assembly Session Prime Minister Modi visited the United States from 24 to 28 September to attend the 70th session of the UN General Assembly as well as for bilateral meetings and included an action-packed leg in Silicon Valley.
Prime Minister at the Round Table with Financial sector CEOs at New York
The visit started with the Prime Minister attending a round table with 47 Financial Sector CEOs of Fortune 500 companies where he presented his vision for “Start-Up India, Stand-Up India”. A number of the CEO’s also had separate meetings with Prime Minister Modi and expressed their keen interest in the Indian start-up sector. They also expressed their willingness to invest in entrepreneurial ventures and innovative
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start-ups with good prospects. This was followed by Prime Minister Modi’s participation in the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit from 25 to 27 September 2015. During this period, Prime Minister Modi addressed the 70th session of UN General Assembly. He also attended the G4 Summit with leaders of Brazil, Germany and Japan on the sidelines of the General Assembly session. The G4 countries seek permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the Sustainable Development Summit at the United Nations
The meeting with the G4 leaders was significant as this was the first meeting at the Heads of Government level since 2004. The leaders agreed that they must push for text-based negotiations and for a concrete outcome in this 70th anniversary year of the United Nations. For this purpose they will mobilize as broad a coalition of like-minded countries as possible. Prime Minister Modi visited the Silicon Valley and San Jose in the West Coast of United States on 26-27 September. This was only the second time any Indian head of government visited California after Jawaharlal Nehru came to San Francisco in 1949. During his visit to the tech capital of Silicon Valley, the Prime Minister spoke at length regarding the government’s flagship initiative “Digital India” and invited Silicon Valley CEOs to contribute to its success. He also had separate meetings with Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella, Google’s Sundar Pichai, Facebook’s founder Mark Zukerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook and leaders of several other tech companies. Commitments made by some of the companies include:
Google to provide India a set up base for free Wi-Fi at 500 railway stations
Google will introduce 11 new languages in Android next month, including Gujarati.
Microsoft to provide low-cost broadband technology to five lakh villages across India in collaboration with the Indian government.
Qualcomm to invest $150 Million in India to create a venture investment fund that would probably help start-ups in the country.
Leaders of the G-4 Countries - Brazil, Germany, India and Japan at the Summit on United Nations Security Council Reform in New York
Prime Minister meeting with CEOs (Microsoft, Google, Adobe) and President of the TiE Silicon Valley in San Jose
Prime Minister in San Jose during his visit to San Jose
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Qualcomm also announced to set up a “design houses” for product innovation in India.
Apple to set up a manufacturing base in India.
On 27th September, India’s National Association for Software Manufacturers organized an event called “Start-up Konnect” that showcased the strengths of India’s startup ecosystem in San Jose.
Prime Minister and CEO of Facebook Mark Zukerberg at the at Townhall Q & A session, Facebook Headquarters
Prime Minister with President Barack Obama on the side-lines of 70th UNGA session
Prime Minister Modi also addressed a meeting of some 18,000 Indian Americans in at the SAP Centre. The CIIE (Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad) / LACI (Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator) NGIN (LACI’s Network for Global Innovation) Landing Pad Programme was launched on this occasion which will enable entrepreneurs and innovators to gain access to the Californian and Indian markets. It will assist startup Cleantech companies with market expansion through partnerships and funding opportunities in both California and India. On the last day of his visit, the Prime Minister met with the US President and held talks covering a wide range of subjects such as climate change, security, counter-terrorism, defence and economy. A $2.5-billion helicopter deal for Chinook and Apache helicopters was signed. The US President publicly supported India’s bid for being a permanent member at UN Security Council. Along with President Obama, the Prime Minister also met the British Prime Minister – David Cameron and the French President – Francois Hollande.
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India has been named the most attractive country for investment in a survey of more than 500 global investors published by accounting firm Ernst & Young (EY). Thirty-two percent of the 505 executives questioned said India was their favoured market for investment, with China second on 15 percent of the vote.
India had overtaken China as the world’s fastest growing major economy in the January-March quarter, growing 7.5% against the neighbouring economy’s rate of growth of 7%.
Grid-connected solar power installed capacity has just crossed the 4 GW mark in India, indicating the country is on track with its solar ambitions for 2015-16. As on July 2015, India’s solar capacity stood at 4,102 MW. On the basis of projects awarded in the recent months, solar industry experts are confident that installations in the current year will exceed 2,500 MW. Solar capacity reaching the 4 GW milestone is quite an achievement considering that five years ago, India had only 12 MW of solar.
Expanding the frontiers and dimensions of its space program, India launched its first dedicated astronomy satellite Astrosat on September 28. Astrosat becomes Asia’s only functioning space observatory as Japan’s Suzaku (Astro-EII) has retired. The 1,550-kg Astrosat, the latest major project by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), is the first satellite in the world capable of studying the universe in the widest yet range of multi-wavelength electromagnetic spectrum. Besides the European Space Agency, India becomes the fourth country after the US, Russia and Japan to launch a dedicated astronomy satellite or space telescope. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has undertaken development of about 7,000 km of national highways under Bharatmala Pariyojana at an estimated cost of Rs 80,000 crore (US$ 12.8 billion) in collaboration with state governments.
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India has become the largest market for e-learning after the US, and the sector is expected to receive a boost from the government’s Rs 1.13 trillion (US$ 17.65 billion) ‘Digital India’ initiative, according to a UK-India Business Council report.
A total of 94,998 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa during January- April 2015, as compared to 8,008 on the earlier Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) scheme during January-April 2014, registering a growth of 1086.3 per cent. The e-Tourist Visa is available now for Latvian and Swedish passport holders as well for tourism and short-term business visits.
At 16%, India has the Highest proportion of ultra high net worth (UHNW) women in the world. India has over 1,250 UHNW women with a combined fortune of US$ 95 billion.
Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson has announced the introduction of a new radio system in the Indian market, which will provide the necessary infrastructure required by mobile companies in order to provide fifth generation (5G) services in future.
India’s wind energy market is expected to attract investments totaling Rs 1,00,000 crore (US$ 15.7 billion) by 2020, and wind power capacity is estimated to almost double by 2020 from over 23,000 MW in June 2015, with an addition of about 4,000 MW per annum in the next five year.
In his address to the Nation on Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi launched a ‘Start-Ups’ campaign. He said that this could transform India and urged banks to come up with suitable financing schemes. In its budget, the government had already announced many measures to encourage start-ups including selling up of an India Aspiration Fund. NASSCOM (The National Association of Software and Services Companies) has separately launched the 10,000 Start-Ups’ initiative to evangelize the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem (for details visit www.nasscom.in).
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