<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/Pakistan-news-update-breaking-Pakistan-army-threatened-to-kill-my-son-says-activist-Gul-Bukhari">Gul Bukhari</a> is a well known face in Pakistan and has been a strong critic of the Pakistan army. She has&nbsp;on several instances&nbsp;questioned the extra-constitutional influence that the army has had over the civilian government in the country. Pakistan's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/latest-south-asia-news-pakistani-activist-gul-bukhari-threatened-with-terror-charges-280220">anti-terror agency</a> recently summoned the London-based activist accusing her of harbouring "anti-Pakistan agenda".

In an exclusive conversation with WION's Executive Editor Palki Shama Upadhyay, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/im-a-terrorist-please-fear-me-says-pak-activist-gul-bukhari-after-anti-terror-wing-summon-280422">Gul Bukhari </a>revealed she hasn't received any notice as yet and if she does, she will fight against it in the Pakistan court.&nbsp;

WION: You've been accused of inciting violence, spreading hatred, maligning the government and creating divisions in Pakistan. What did you do to invite such serious charges?

Gul Bukhari: There was this news about an FIA notice against me in which they had said that, they've sent me a notice and that I will have to appear before them and if I don't they would bring charges of terrorism and cybercrime against me. The fact around that piece of news is that I have not received any notice.&nbsp;

The media report showed a letter in which these things were mentioned, the one you're talking about creating divisions and incitement to violence. This is a letter that the Pakistan government has indeed written to the home office of the UK and 10 Downing Street and the foreign office and to the police.&nbsp;

I have written to the home office to let me have a copy.&nbsp;

WION: So, the government is initiating some action against you. What do you propose to do in response?

Gul Bukhari: I will do something about it once I get a notice from them, the FIA or somebody. There is absolutely nothing that I can do unless I am served the notice. I will take them to court if they serve me the notice, I will not respond. I will challenge them in a court of law in Pakistan. That is my plan. I have asked for a copy of the letter from the British government and I have asked them to let me know how they plan to respond to this request from Pakistan.&nbsp;

WION: Are you prepared to travel to Pakistan to pursue this case?

Gul Bukhari: No, I will just get my lawyers to do it in Pakistan.&nbsp;

WION: Why are you being targeted?

Gul Bukhari: To be honest, I am not sure. I think they can't handle dissent. I think there's a lot that goes on within the military and they keep it hush-hush. I get news of it and let people know about what they want to keep as a secret. That could be it. Otherwise, there's nothing that I have done recently.&nbsp;

WION: You're saying the military is upset because you're telling the world the stories that they want to keep under wraps. Do you have any examples?

Gul Bukhari: Yes. A recent example is a story of General Sarfraz Sattar. They put it on the news that he has retired. I knew he hadn't, so I tweeted about that. His retirement date was September 2020 and they got it published at the end of November. There was no way he could retire, he could only resign. He had not resigned.

He was waiting around for his time to become the next, possibly COAS. Then he was put under house arrest. His entire family couldn't move around, they were home.

They pressured him into giving his resignation in December or January. I broke that news as well. It had come from his son who had missed his medical school and when his friends asked him he said he was under house arrest and that now his father has given the resignation and he is free to move around. &nbsp;

WION: Did you think it will come to this?

Gul Bukhari: I could have never imagined that it would come to this. From slapping charges and talking about the confiscation of property and involving the Interpol and charging me with terrorism... all this is crazy, absolutely unimaginable. Nobody could imagine that a government could stoop to this.&nbsp;

WION: How is your family taking these developments?

Gul Bukhari: They're worried. They are on my side and will fight alongside me.&nbsp;

WION: Any word of assurance from the government of the UK or any other agency?

Gul Bukhari: Not yet. I've literally just approached the government, I have approached them just a short while ago asking for the copy of the letter and I intend to approach them not just for the copy of the letter and also for how do they intend to protect me and respond to Pakistan. I will also register this with the local police after I found out that they were looking for my address as well.&nbsp;

WION: The only support you've received is online?&nbsp;

Gul Bukhari: Yes. The government did get involved a year and a half ago when they abducted me. The UK parliament and the foreign office, they reached out to me and took down my account and offered me all of the support and everything and advised me to come back to the UK. So since December 2018, I am here.

Gul Bukhari is a well known face in Pakistan and has been a strong critic of the Pakistan army. She has on several instances questioned the extra-constitutional influence that the army has had over the civilian government in the country.

Gul Bukhari is a well known face in Pakistan and has been a strong critic of the Pakistan army. She has on several instances questioned the extra-constitutional influence that the army has had over the civilian government in the country. Pakistan's anti-terror agency recently summoned the London-based activist accusing her of harbouring "anti-Pakistan agenda". In an exclusive conversation with WION's Executive Editor Palki Shama Upadhyay, Gul Bukhari revealed she hasn't received any notice as yet and if she does, she will fight against it in the Pakistan court. WION: You've been accused of inciting violence, spreading hatred, maligning the government and creating divisions in Pakistan. What did you do to invite such serious charges? Gul Bukhari: There was this news about an FIA notice against me in which they had said that, they've sent me a notice and that I will have to appear before them and if I don't they would bring charges of terrorism and cybercrime against me. The fact around that piece of news is that I have not received any notice. The media report showed a letter in which these things were mentioned, the one you're talking about creating divisions and incitement to violence. This is a letter that the Pakistan government has indeed written to the home office of the UK and 10 Downing Street and the foreign office and to the police. I have written to the home office to let me have a copy. WION: So, the government is initiating some action against you. What do you propose to do in response? Gul Bukhari: I will do something about it once I get a notice from them, the FIA or somebody. There is absolutely nothing that I can do unless I am served the notice. I will take them to court if they serve me the notice, I will not respond. I will challenge them in a court of law in Pakistan. That is my plan. I have asked for a copy of the letter from the British government and I have asked them to let me know how they plan to respond to this request from Pakistan. WION: Are you prepared to travel to Pakistan to pursue this case? Gul Bukhari: No, I will just get my lawyers to do it in Pakistan. WION: Why are you being targeted? Gul Bukhari: To be honest, I am not sure. I think they can't handle dissent. I think there's a lot that goes on within the military and they keep it hush-hush. I get news of it and let people know about what they want to keep as a secret. That could be it. Otherwise, there's nothing that I have done recently. WION: You're saying the military is upset because you're telling the world the stories that they want to keep under wraps. Do you have any examples? Gul Bukhari: Yes. A recent example is a story of General Sarfraz Sattar. They put it on the news that he has retired. I knew he hadn't, so I tweeted about that. His retirement date was September 2020 and they got it published at the end of November. There was no way he could retire, he could only resign. He had not resigned. He was waiting around for his time to become the next, possibly COAS. Then he was put under house arrest. His entire family couldn't move around, they were home. They pressured him into giving his resignation in December or January. I broke that news as well. It had come from his son who had missed his medical school and when his friends asked him he said he was under house arrest and that now his father has given the resignation and he is free to move around. WION: Did you think it will come to this? Gul Bukhari: I could have never imagined that it would come to this. From slapping charges and talking about the confiscation of property and involving the Interpol and charging me with terrorism... all this is crazy, absolutely unimaginable. Nobody could imagine that a government could stoop to this. WION: How is your family taking these developments? Gul Bukhari: They're worried. They are on my side and will fight alongside me. WION: Any word of assurance from the government of the UK or any other agency? Gul Bukhari: Not yet. I've literally just approached the government, I have approached them just a short while ago asking for the copy of the letter and I intend to approach them not just for the copy of the letter and also for how do they intend to protect me and respond to Pakistan. I will also register this with the local police after I found out that they were looking for my address as well. WION: The only support you've received is online? Gul Bukhari: Yes. The government did get involved a year and a half ago when they abducted me. The UK parliament and the foreign office, they reached out to me and took down my account and offered me all of the support and everything and advised me to come back to the UK. So since December 2018, I am here.

I let people know what the Army wants to keep a secret: Pakistan activist Gul Bukhari to WION

The year 2019 ended with a significant event. An unprecedented joint naval drill conducted by Iran, China and Russia. The setting was crucial, so was the message from Iran. The four day long exercise was held in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman - the most crucial waters for international oil trade. An Iranian admiral told the state broadcaster that the result of this exercise will be “to show that Iran cannot be isolated.” While this was viewed as directed at the US, it held meaning for India too.

It is losing ground to China again. India has invested time and money in developing the very important <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-iran-to-speed-up-chabahar-project-reaffirm-unbreakable-ties-269590">Chabahar port in Iran</a>. India views it as a gateway for trade in Central Asia and Afghanistan. But India has wavered and now succumbed to American pressure. China on the other hand has sided with Iran and is making swift moves to incorporate Iran’s transit infrastructure into its Belt and Road Initiative. Disappointed with Delhi’s decisions, Iran has hinted that Chabahar could be linked to Pakistan’s Gwadar port, which China is developing. The result isn’t hard to imagine. China’s economic domination of Central Asia, and India’s energy insecurity and shrinking options of connectivity.

<img alt="modi-rouhani" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8cb94d2e-b9f5-4c0d-896e-b1bfea70428b" height="473" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/modi-rouhani.JPG" width="780" />

The joint development of Chabahar was agreed upon in 2003. India’s position vis-a-vis Iran has been inconsistent since. India voted against Iran at the IAEA on multiple occasions. International sanctions on Iran put speed breakers on the port project. In 2018, the US under President Trump exited the Iran nuclear deal and imposed more sanctions. While Chabahar was exempted from the sanctions, business became unviable for Indian companies there. In 2019, India slashed the budget for the port by more than two-thirds — from Rs 150 crores to just Rs 45 crores, all the while saying that the government remains committed to the project. With China pushing more aggressively, India’s foreign minister visited Iran to reaffirm the government’s commitment and accelerate cooperation. But India isn’t putting its money where its mouth is.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-hopes-the-us-iran-tensions-wons-impact-chabahar-project-272800" hreflang="en">Afghanistan hopes the US-Iran tensions won't impact Chabahar project</a>

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<h5>The current escalation of the crisis between the US and Iran only means more bad news for India.</h5>
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Simultaneously, India stopped buying oil from Iran. For a country that maintains it only recognizes UN sanctions and not unilateral country-specific ones, this was a move that hurt India’s relationship with Iran further. India imports 84 per cent of its oil. Domestic production has fallen in recent years. India is the world’s third biggest oil consumer and Iran was India’s third-biggest supplier. Iran’s loss, not surprisingly, has been America’s gain. India’s oil imports from the US have shot up. Delhi has labeled this as “diversification of its energy sources.” But the decision puts a question mark on the government’s much talked about “strategic autonomy.”

The current escalation of the crisis between the US and Iran only means more bad news for India. Delhi’s response to Qassem Soleimani’s killing was mature and measured. Iran welcomed mediation from India to de-escalate the situation. This was an opportunity to take a stand, play a bigger role, try to broker peace and raise India’s stature as a global leader. Instead, India is pretending it did not notice the offer.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/qasem-soleimanis-death-opens-a-door-to-alternative-security-arrangements-in-the-gulf-272710">Qasem Soleimani’s death opens a door to alternative security arrangements in the Gulf</a>

<img alt="soleimani" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="517af06b-4b13-4d20-84b2-c9201911e697" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/soleimani.jpg" />

India’s acquiescence is a win-win for the US. It sells more oil to India. It uses India as a potential leverage against China. And it squeezes Iran further by depriving it of a major trading partner and oil buyer.

But what’s in it for India? Delhi’s relationship with Tehran is as much a factor of geography as of history. Cultural ties go back several millennia. We won’t dwell on that because this, we understand, is the phase of “pragmatic partnerships” sans romanticism. So here’s the business end of it. Even in terms of energy security and strategic connectivity, distancing Iran makes little sense for India. It has the world’s richest gas reserves and the fourth-largest oil reserves. It sits at a geostrategic vantage point, along the Strait of Hormuz. Two-thirds of the oil and half the LNG that India imports pass through this Strait.

India’s drift towards the US is happening at the cost of ties with Iran. The losses from this shift are evident — the alienation of an old and reliable economic and strategic partner like Iran and the cession of ground to China. The gains though, still remain the realm of possibility, guided by the idiosyncrasies and self-interest of a country led by Donald Trump.&nbsp;

(Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The year 2019 ended with a significant event. An unprecedented joint naval drill conducted by Iran, China and Russia. The setting was crucial, so was the message from Iran.

The year 2019 ended with a significant event. An unprecedented joint naval drill conducted by Iran, China and Russia. The setting was crucial, so was the message from Iran. The four day long exercise was held in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman - the most crucial waters for international oil trade. An Iranian admiral told the state broadcaster that the result of this exercise will be “to show that Iran cannot be isolated.” While this was viewed as directed at the US, it held meaning for India too. It is losing ground to China again. India has invested time and money in developing the very important Chabahar port in Iran. India views it as a gateway for trade in Central Asia and Afghanistan. But India has wavered and now succumbed to American pressure. China on the other hand has sided with Iran and is making swift moves to incorporate Iran’s transit infrastructure into its Belt and Road Initiative. Disappointed with Delhi’s decisions, Iran has hinted that Chabahar could be linked to Pakistan’s Gwadar port, which China is developing. The result isn’t hard to imagine. China’s economic domination of Central Asia, and India’s energy insecurity and shrinking options of connectivity. The joint development of Chabahar was agreed upon in 2003. India’s position vis-a-vis Iran has been inconsistent since. India voted against Iran at the IAEA on multiple occasions. International sanctions on Iran put speed breakers on the port project. In 2018, the US under President Trump exited the Iran nuclear deal and imposed more sanctions. While Chabahar was exempted from the sanctions, business became unviable for Indian companies there. In 2019, India slashed the budget for the port by more than two-thirds — from Rs 150 crores to just Rs 45 crores, all the while saying that the government remains committed to the project. With China pushing more aggressively, India’s foreign minister visited Iran to reaffirm the government’s commitment and accelerate cooperation. But India isn’t putting its money where its mouth is. Also read: Afghanistan hopes the US-Iran tensions won't impact Chabahar project The current escalation of the crisis between the US and Iran only means more bad news for India. × Simultaneously, India stopped buying oil from Iran. For a country that maintains it only recognizes UN sanctions and not unilateral country-specific ones, this was a move that hurt India’s relationship with Iran further. India imports 84 per cent of its oil. Domestic production has fallen in recent years. India is the world’s third biggest oil consumer and Iran was India’s third-biggest supplier. Iran’s loss, not surprisingly, has been America’s gain. India’s oil imports from the US have shot up. Delhi has labeled this as “diversification of its energy sources.” But the decision puts a question mark on the government’s much talked about “strategic autonomy.” The current escalation of the crisis between the US and Iran only means more bad news for India. Delhi’s response to Qassem Soleimani’s killing was mature and measured. Iran welcomed mediation from India to de-escalate the situation. This was an opportunity to take a stand, play a bigger role, try to broker peace and raise India’s stature as a global leader. Instead, India is pretending it did not notice the offer. Also read: Qasem Soleimani’s death opens a door to alternative security arrangements in the Gulf India’s acquiescence is a win-win for the US. It sells more oil to India. It uses India as a potential leverage against China. And it squeezes Iran further by depriving it of a major trading partner and oil buyer. But what’s in it for India? Delhi’s relationship with Tehran is as much a factor of geography as of history. Cultural ties go back several millennia. We won’t dwell on that because this, we understand, is the phase of “pragmatic partnerships” sans romanticism. So here’s the business end of it. Even in terms of energy security and strategic connectivity, distancing Iran makes little sense for India. It has the world’s richest gas reserves and the fourth-largest oil reserves. It sits at a geostrategic vantage point, along the Strait of Hormuz. Two-thirds of the oil and half the LNG that India imports pass through this Strait. India’s drift towards the US is happening at the cost of ties with Iran. The losses from this shift are evident — the alienation of an old and reliable economic and strategic partner like Iran and the cession of ground to China. The gains though, still remain the realm of possibility, guided by the idiosyncrasies and self-interest of a country led by Donald Trump. (Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

India is losing the Iran plot

Different stories of 2019 can be strung together in some common threads. This was the "new normal" of the year gone by.&nbsp;

1. UNREST

If there's one headline from 2019 that Xi Jinping would like to undo, what would it be? "Taiwan should follow the Hong Kong model." That's what the Chinese President said on January 1, 2019. Unification is the goal, he said, and Taiwan should take a cue from Hong Kong. He spoke 6 months too soon. In June, Hong Kong began protesting, and by the time the year ended, the people of Hong Kong had mounted the biggest political challenge to Xi Jinping's authority. The government tried every trick in the book, from riot charges to half-concessions, inked water canons to police batons, but couldn't break the spirit of the people. The might and the arrogance of the dragon had been defeated.

The theme played out over and over again this year. France, Russia, Britain, Serbia, Ukraine, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Lebanon, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, India - across the globe people stood up to the powers that be.&nbsp;

In some cases they defeated their governments, in others they burst the bubble of invincibility.

2. HACKED

If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself. Prophetic words of George Orwell. Because as he predicted, the Big Brother is watching you. From your phone to your car to your CCTV, everything can and is being hacked. Your choices are being manipulated. Your opinion is being infected. Your activities are being tracked, your movements are being mapped. You are nothing but a source of data, to be sold with or without your knowledge. 2019 has proved that privacy is a myth in the digital age. Data is the lifeblood and the internet is the tool that governments can weaponise to incapacitate dissent. We talk about a future with smart cities. Cities that can be switched off with the push of a button or the swipe on a screen. Technology is a beast we're learning to both ride and control. Good luck to us.

3. CLIMATE ACTION

Snowstorms, hurricanes, heatwaves, wildfires - thousands of lives and billions of dollars lost. Climate change is no more a distant concept restricted to academic circles. It's a clear and present danger. It's striking as we speak. What is the world doing about it? Disagreeing. Climate action was to 2019 what human rights were to the years before. Everyone makes the right noises, few make the right moves. So one Swedish teenager decided to bunk school and turned it into a global movement. World leaders discredited her, called her names, were condescending. They were met with a cold glare. Tens of thousands of young people across the world demanded that the decision-makers of today secure their tomorrow. It's work in progress. There's a long way to go. But this was the year when a decisive start was made.

4. DEATH OF DIPLOMACY

Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else have your way. Diplomacy is to do and say, the nastiest thing in the nicest way.

2019 threw these lines out of the window. Diplomacy landed on twitter and was shot dead by angry tweets. Heads of states called each other names. Summits were fixed and junked on social media. Leaders Facetimed and bromanced in public instead of going through the inordinately long handshakes with measured smiles and cameras shuttering. They were caught on camera gossiping. They were caught online reprimanding others in shouty capitals. Conversations that were once bound by convention and peppered were pleasantries were replaced by unbridled bickering. There are no closed doors in the age of social media and tweet-happy diplomats. Log in to see all the dirty linen.

5. MAJORITARIANISM

The rise of the right was last year's story. This year, those who rose insisted they were right, whether you liked them or not. The men (no women in this list) who rule some of the biggest countries in the world - America, India, China, Russia - are all perceived to be bigots. A more politically correct word is majoritarian. The pushers of populist agendas. The upholders of majority interests. The conquerers of liberal forces. Despite the criticism, many of them have emerged victorious in elections and have won bigger mandates. Their politics and its success is a reflection of the countries they lead. Countries where the majority believes it's been shortchanged for way too long. Now the majority is going for its pound of flesh. There's bloodshed, but that's collateral damage. Unsolicited advice - majority rule doesn't have to majoritarian. Let's make room for everyone.

As the year ends, we can only hope for a healing touch, for better sense to prevail, for governments to listen to their people, for leaders to talk to and not at each other, for technology to be tamed before being tested on us, for the young to be optimistic about their future again, for more action and sweeter words. Happy new year! 
&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Different stories of 2019 can be strung together in some common threads. This was the "new normal" of the year gone by. 1. UNREST If there's one headline from 2019 that Xi Jinping would like to undo, what would it be?

Different stories of 2019 can be strung together in some common threads. This was the "new normal" of the year gone by. 1. UNREST If there's one headline from 2019 that Xi Jinping would like to undo, what would it be? "Taiwan should follow the Hong Kong model." That's what the Chinese President said on January 1, 2019. Unification is the goal, he said, and Taiwan should take a cue from Hong Kong. He spoke 6 months too soon. In June, Hong Kong began protesting, and by the time the year ended, the people of Hong Kong had mounted the biggest political challenge to Xi Jinping's authority. The government tried every trick in the book, from riot charges to half-concessions, inked water canons to police batons, but couldn't break the spirit of the people. The might and the arrogance of the dragon had been defeated. The theme played out over and over again this year. France, Russia, Britain, Serbia, Ukraine, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Lebanon, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, India - across the globe people stood up to the powers that be. In some cases they defeated their governments, in others they burst the bubble of invincibility. 2. HACKED If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself. Prophetic words of George Orwell. Because as he predicted, the Big Brother is watching you. From your phone to your car to your CCTV, everything can and is being hacked. Your choices are being manipulated. Your opinion is being infected. Your activities are being tracked, your movements are being mapped. You are nothing but a source of data, to be sold with or without your knowledge. 2019 has proved that privacy is a myth in the digital age. Data is the lifeblood and the internet is the tool that governments can weaponise to incapacitate dissent. We talk about a future with smart cities. Cities that can be switched off with the push of a button or the swipe on a screen. Technology is a beast we're learning to both ride and control. Good luck to us. 3. CLIMATE ACTION Snowstorms, hurricanes, heatwaves, wildfires - thousands of lives and billions of dollars lost. Climate change is no more a distant concept restricted to academic circles. It's a clear and present danger. It's striking as we speak. What is the world doing about it? Disagreeing. Climate action was to 2019 what human rights were to the years before. Everyone makes the right noises, few make the right moves. So one Swedish teenager decided to bunk school and turned it into a global movement. World leaders discredited her, called her names, were condescending. They were met with a cold glare. Tens of thousands of young people across the world demanded that the decision-makers of today secure their tomorrow. It's work in progress. There's a long way to go. But this was the year when a decisive start was made. 4. DEATH OF DIPLOMACY Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else have your way. Diplomacy is to do and say, the nastiest thing in the nicest way. 2019 threw these lines out of the window. Diplomacy landed on twitter and was shot dead by angry tweets. Heads of states called each other names. Summits were fixed and junked on social media. Leaders Facetimed and bromanced in public instead of going through the inordinately long handshakes with measured smiles and cameras shuttering. They were caught on camera gossiping. They were caught online reprimanding others in shouty capitals. Conversations that were once bound by convention and peppered were pleasantries were replaced by unbridled bickering. There are no closed doors in the age of social media and tweet-happy diplomats. Log in to see all the dirty linen. 5. MAJORITARIANISM The rise of the right was last year's story. This year, those who rose insisted they were right, whether you liked them or not. The men (no women in this list) who rule some of the biggest countries in the world - America, India, China, Russia - are all perceived to be bigots. A more politically correct word is majoritarian. The pushers of populist agendas. The upholders of majority interests. The conquerers of liberal forces. Despite the criticism, many of them have emerged victorious in elections and have won bigger mandates. Their politics and its success is a reflection of the countries they lead. Countries where the majority believes it's been shortchanged for way too long. Now the majority is going for its pound of flesh. There's bloodshed, but that's collateral damage. Unsolicited advice - majority rule doesn't have to majoritarian. Let's make room for everyone. As the year ends, we can only hope for a healing touch, for better sense to prevail, for governments to listen to their people, for leaders to talk to and not at each other, for technology to be tamed before being tested on us, for the young to be optimistic about their future again, for more action and sweeter words. Happy new year! (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Themes of 2019: Looking back at the year gone by

“Am I a Hindu or a Muslim?” 
“What do you think?” 
“I don’t know. Maybe a Muslim.” 
“Why do you say so?” 
“I don’t know.” 
“Why do you ask?” 
“My judo teacher asked me.” 
 
The boy asking the question is six and a half years old. This conversation happened a week ago. It has been bothering me since. We never needed religion as a qualifier. So we never told him what his religion was. We’ve long pulled up the judo teacher for asking the question. But that’s not even the point. He’s not an evil bigot. He’s just another person, unwittingly offensive. This is an unacceptable yet casual question in India — a secular country with a majority that harbours the angst of perceived wrongs and a minority that has forever been used as a political pawn. 
 
The makers of India’s constitution wanted a secular state but the biggest proponents of secularism, Nehru and Ambedkar, did not allow the word secular to be part of the Preamble. The debate is worth revisiting. The crux is this — for the state to truly distance itself from religion, as secularism demands, there should be no recognition of minority on the basis of religion, no reservation, no muslim personal law, no directive principle for protection of cows. In the Indian context such detachment was hard to achieve. So it was agreed to drop the term, than to “fraudulently” use it. It was only inserted much later by Indira Gandhi in 1976 through unconstitutional means. The preamble was amended without a debate in Parliament. 
 
This unsettled debate is manifesting itself today, seven decades since Independence. Secularism in India is an ideal that has been pursued but not truly achieved. It has systematically been abused for political gain. The confusion and lack of consensus has come back to bite us. The repressed Islamophobia of India is revealing itself and it makes a sorry picture. It is easy to blame a party or its leaders, but who put them there? They never hid what they stood for. Perhaps Indians hid what they really stood for, or were wary of expressing themselves. And so it is important to view this protest beyond the binaries. 
 
India is not a monolith. There are many Indias, many ideologies and beliefs that clash and co-exist. One India is protesting today. On the streets and on social media. Another India is supporting this law. And a third, perhaps much bigger India, is watching from the sidelines. Most of these people have no political agenda, no real understanding of the subject and no direct stakes in this battle of ideologies. They’re trying to make sense of the frenzy, to fathom the full import of what’s happening. The questions are confounding. 
 
Is India sliding into a majoritarian abyss? Is this politically stimulated hype? Are the policemen devils? The pictures show them raining lathis on hapless protestors. The pictures also show them pouring tea for people on a cold Delhi evening. The pictures show people pelting stones at them. And yet others show a muslim cop telling a lady to let him do his job. So many protestors have sustained head injuries. Why are the police hitting children? What were the children doing at a protest site? Should children not be allowed to protest? At what age do you qualify? Why detain journalists? Why say things like “identifying people by their clothes” in such a volatile situation? Isn’t protest a basic right of every citizen? Isn’t civil disobedience the bedrock of Indian democracy? But what justifies violence? Should police not do their duty? Who are the people indulging in violence? It’s so vitiated now, with so many conflicting versions that sifting the “truth” is well nigh impossible. 
 
But here’s what can be done. The government has every right to pass laws, even controversial ones. They did not do it on the sly. They followed due procedure, got it passed in Parliament. What they seem to have forgotten is the universal mantra of democracy - “a government of the people, for the people, by the people.” And that includes all people. When they complain listen to them, don’t discredit them. When they break the law, investigate and punish them. Don’t&nbsp;pander to their basest emotions, don’t exploit their anxieties. 
 
Reach out. Restore peace.

(Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

“Am I a Hindu or a Muslim?” “What do you think?” “I don’t know. Maybe a Muslim.” “Why do you say so?” “I don’t know.” “Why do you ask?” “My judo teacher asked me.

“Am I a Hindu or a Muslim?” “What do you think?” “I don’t know. Maybe a Muslim.” “Why do you say so?” “I don’t know.” “Why do you ask?” “My judo teacher asked me.” The boy asking the question is six and a half years old. This conversation happened a week ago. It has been bothering me since. We never needed religion as a qualifier. So we never told him what his religion was. We’ve long pulled up the judo teacher for asking the question. But that’s not even the point. He’s not an evil bigot. He’s just another person, unwittingly offensive. This is an unacceptable yet casual question in India — a secular country with a majority that harbours the angst of perceived wrongs and a minority that has forever been used as a political pawn. The makers of India’s constitution wanted a secular state but the biggest proponents of secularism, Nehru and Ambedkar, did not allow the word secular to be part of the Preamble. The debate is worth revisiting. The crux is this — for the state to truly distance itself from religion, as secularism demands, there should be no recognition of minority on the basis of religion, no reservation, no muslim personal law, no directive principle for protection of cows. In the Indian context such detachment was hard to achieve. So it was agreed to drop the term, than to “fraudulently” use it. It was only inserted much later by Indira Gandhi in 1976 through unconstitutional means. The preamble was amended without a debate in Parliament. This unsettled debate is manifesting itself today, seven decades since Independence. Secularism in India is an ideal that has been pursued but not truly achieved. It has systematically been abused for political gain. The confusion and lack of consensus has come back to bite us. The repressed Islamophobia of India is revealing itself and it makes a sorry picture. It is easy to blame a party or its leaders, but who put them there? They never hid what they stood for. Perhaps Indians hid what they really stood for, or were wary of expressing themselves. And so it is important to view this protest beyond the binaries. India is not a monolith. There are many Indias, many ideologies and beliefs that clash and co-exist. One India is protesting today. On the streets and on social media. Another India is supporting this law. And a third, perhaps much bigger India, is watching from the sidelines. Most of these people have no political agenda, no real understanding of the subject and no direct stakes in this battle of ideologies. They’re trying to make sense of the frenzy, to fathom the full import of what’s happening. The questions are confounding. Is India sliding into a majoritarian abyss? Is this politically stimulated hype? Are the policemen devils? The pictures show them raining lathis on hapless protestors. The pictures also show them pouring tea for people on a cold Delhi evening. The pictures show people pelting stones at them. And yet others show a muslim cop telling a lady to let him do his job. So many protestors have sustained head injuries. Why are the police hitting children? What were the children doing at a protest site? Should children not be allowed to protest? At what age do you qualify? Why detain journalists? Why say things like “identifying people by their clothes” in such a volatile situation? Isn’t protest a basic right of every citizen? Isn’t civil disobedience the bedrock of Indian democracy? But what justifies violence? Should police not do their duty? Who are the people indulging in violence? It’s so vitiated now, with so many conflicting versions that sifting the “truth” is well nigh impossible. But here’s what can be done. The government has every right to pass laws, even controversial ones. They did not do it on the sly. They followed due procedure, got it passed in Parliament. What they seem to have forgotten is the universal mantra of democracy - “a government of the people, for the people, by the people.” And that includes all people. When they complain listen to them, don’t discredit them. When they break the law, investigate and punish them. Don’t pander to their basest emotions, don’t exploit their anxieties. Reach out. Restore peace. (Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Why India is conflicted

It’s Christmas time. If world leaders play secret Santa, here’s the gift that should go to the Chinese— a copy of Dale Carnegie’s all time bestseller — How to Win Friends And Influence people.

It’s Christmas time. If world leaders play secret Santa, here’s the gift that should go to the Chinese— a copy of Dale Carnegie’s all time bestseller — How to Win Friends And Influence people. Because China is failing miserably at it. It wants to be seen as Santa Claus. It is often perceived as the Grinch. Not for want of trying though. According to one report China spends 10 billion dollars every year to boost its image, its soft power. The return on investment has been sub-optimal, much like the BRI. The Chinese approach is cultural. They even have a word for it. Huairou. Meaning "pacifying and winning the hearts of foreigners through tributary trade.” They always come bearing gifts. But no amount of spending has been able to erase the suspicion in the minds of the recepients. The figures are telling. China has pledged to invest 1.3 trillion dollars in the BRI as part of Xi Jinping’s vision of collective prosperity. Many countries have witnessed rapid infrastructure growth. Beijing claims to have generated 300,000 jobs for locals. Yet the optimism over development is giving way to concern. Most of these countries have failed to safeguard themselves against the trap of Chinese debt. Chinese investment is becoming a serious political and electoral issue in countries which have signed up for this modern Silk Route. Not just brick and mortar, China is working on minds too. Billions of dollars have been spent on setting up Confucius institutes the world over. These provide courses in Mandarin language, calligraphy, even cooking. More than 500 such institutes are funded by the Chinese Ministry of Education. And yet China hasn’t been able to burnish its image. These cultural outposts have only attracted controversy. Which brings us to the media. China is betting big on international media. From the Global Times to CGTN, state funded networks are churning out Chinese propaganda in six languages including English, French, Russian and Spanish with offices in 70 countries. The state run Xinhua news agency plans to have 200 foreign bureaus by 2020. China Radio International airs close to 400 hours of programming every day in more than 3 dozen languages. Now Chinese bureaucrats have taken Twitter by storm, trolling world leaders in their language and style. The Chinese film industry is racing Hollywood — America’s unofficial but most effective propaganda machine. China has even enlisted pandas in the noble cause of fixing the national narrative. They’re used as temporary “gifts” to special friends in the Chinese checkers of foreign policy. It’s been a long, sustained drive. More than two decades in the making, but first spoken about only in 2007. At the 17th Party Congress, President Hu Jintao linked “the rejuvenation of China with the country’s ability to project soft power.” Seven years later, in 2014, Xi Jinping said, “we should increase China’s soft power, give a good Chinese narrative and better communicate China’s message to the world.” And yet, the struggle to project China in better light continues. Xinjiang and Hong Kong don’t help. Neither do the dwindling economies of countries buried under Chinese debt. But the problem is deeper. Civil society is not free in China. Public participation means the public backing government initiatives without questioning the outcomes. Free trade means giving China free access to your markets while being blocked from the Chinese market. Income inequality is massive. Environmental pollution remains a blot. The government’s claims of corrective measures cannot be independently verified, you have to take their word for it. China’s position on the Favourability Index in most countries remains appallingly low when viewed against the investment it makes there. The lack of sincere political reform, a repressive regime and arbitrary regulations to strengthen the cult of the President do not cover China in glory. Soft power comes with co-opting, not coercing. You shape preferences through collective good, not cheque-book diplomacy. America, for all its high-handedness and self-serving foreign policy, remains a country where institutions are strong, where the President can be put in the dock, every day. If China wants to replace America as a global leader and wield soft power, it will have to shed some of its selfishness and prove its credentials as a country that can genuinely and transparently benefit others. Money can only buy you silence, not respect. If China continues to want Sabka Saath and Apna Vikas, it will never earn Sabka Vishwas. (Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

China's failed quest for soft power 

December 17, 2012. The first update came on agencies. Something about a gang rape the day before. Someone was writing the headlines for the next wheel but this report did not make it.

December 17, 2012. The first update came on agencies. Something about a gang rape the day before. Someone was writing the headlines for the next wheel but this report did not make it. The newsroom was busy with other, more important stuff. The Gujarat election had just concluded. Exit poll figures were coming in. There were psephologists, analysts, fancy graphics and charts, lots of talking to do. Rape is, frankly, nothing new. It can wait. Or so it was decided before some of us proceeded to the pantry for coffee and biscuits. I remember this vividly because in the days and weeks and months that followed, after the full horror of the gang rape revealed itself, after the media named the victim Nirbhaya, and the world named India its rape capital, this episode kept playing on loop in my mind. It struck me how we had normalized rape. Keep the story for tomorrow. The story fed itself. People came out on the streets. Experts of all descriptions came out of the woodworks. We discussed gender sensitivity. Moral policing. Police sensitization. The need for new laws. The need to implement old laws. The futility of laws altogether, because it’s all about social biases. No wait, it’s all Bollywood’s fault for feeding us sexist stereotypes. No means no. Death penalty versus corrective punishment. The debate over a juvenile rapist. Are you a child at 17? Government insensitivity. Theek hai. Copy writers ran out of adjectives to fill the screens. Anchors ran out of punchy lines. In how many ways can you say that rape is a horrid crime against humanity so punish the perpetrators?! Policemen were schooled to be more receptive to victims. Parents were urged to raise better sons. People were shaken out of their routines to raise their voice. This cannot go on. Nirbhaya galvanized an entire nation. India’s daughters had a voice and a mission. And then what? More Nirbhayas. Every day. Every hour. Women in this country are assaulted, brutalized, silenced. Most cases do not even get reported because frankly, why bother. Why bother with the character assassination that follows physical assault. Why bother proving to the world that you did not ask for it. Why bother with the endless procedure and the ruthless grind of the so-called legal justice system. Hashtags and headlines feed a fleeting frenzy. Brutality becomes just another talking point. Oh how awful, I can’t believe this. What has the world come to! As we reported the Nirbhaya case for months, I saw it sliding down the rundown. I felt myself swinging between outrage and ennui. This horror is recurring. You get used to it. Same with Hyderabad. Ranchi. Jammu. Ditto. It comes and goes. Nothing ever changes. So get over with it. Don’t waste your time India. Rape doesn’t really offend you. Drop the pretense.

What's the fuss about? It's just another rape

At the United Nations, Prime Minister&nbsp;Narendra Modi reiterated his commitment to stop the use of single-use plastic. In a special report, WION's&nbsp;Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay takes a look at the many ways the United Nations aims to avoid plastic use.&nbsp;

Climate change has been at the forefront of India's agenda at the United Nations General Assembly. The Indian prime minister has taken&nbsp;leadership position on the issue. PM Modi has spoken about sustainable development and climate action in India as well and&nbsp;talked about giving up the use of single-use plastic altogether.

When such conversations begin at the United Nations, it is obvious for a tangible change to reverberate through the UN premises. At the media centre of the United Nations, WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay saw what could aptly be called the future of packaged drinking water - no more plastic bottles!

No plastic at UN

"At the United Nations, we didn't see plastic water bottles, we came across boxed water, the package read, "boxed water is better". It is sustainable, thoughtful and pure," Palki Sharma Upadhyay reported from New York. &nbsp;

The second option to plastic water bottles that WION came across was called "Ever &amp; Ever" - drinking water packaged in recyclable aluminum bottles.&nbsp;

Ever and ever...

"Thanks to those who recycle, 75 per cent of all aluminum ever produced is still in use. When used properly and recycled, this water may go on to become wind chimes, a flag pole, a filing cabinet, a pin-tie, and the Ever &amp; Ever once again," as mentioned on the product website.&nbsp;

Plastic waste

As per a report published by an environmental watchdog, WorldWatch, in the year 2015, "Some 299 million tons of plastics were produced in 2013, representing a 4 per cent increase over 2012. Recovery and recycling, however, remain insufficient, and millions of tons of plastics end up in landfills and oceans each year".

"According to the United Nations Environmental Program, between 22 percent and 43 percent of the plastic used worldwide is disposed of in landfills, where its resources are wasted, the material takes up valuable space, and it blights communities," the report stated.&nbsp;

Interestingly, there have been many attempts to thwart the growing human dependence on the world of plastic.&nbsp;

Leaf republic

A German startup called the Leaf Republic creates durable, bio-degradable cutlery from waste leaves. The leaf-based cutlery is free from artificial agents and chemicals. The leaves are procured from wild vines of South America and Asia. A single plate comprises three layers, sewn and put together using palm fibres.&nbsp;

The waterproof leaf-based cutlery is washable can be used again. The plates, when discarded, take around a month to get decomposed completely.

Eat your water!

Ooho, 'edible water bottles' were put on trial in April 2017 in London, UK. Tiny balls of water are, in reality, ice dipped in a mix of algae and calcium chloride. The entire ball of water can be gobbled down as it is, the product is completely digestible.

"The aim of Ooho is to provide the convenience of plastic bottles while limiting the environmental impact," Skipping Rocks Lab.

So, the next time you reach out to plastic water bottles, think of the alternatives you already have available in the market.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

At the United Nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his commitment to stop the use of single-use plastic. In a special report, WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay takes a look at the many ways the United Nations aims to avoid plastic use.

At the United Nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his commitment to stop the use of single-use plastic. In a special report, WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay takes a look at the many ways the United Nations aims to avoid plastic use. Climate change has been at the forefront of India's agenda at the United Nations General Assembly. The Indian prime minister has taken leadership position on the issue. PM Modi has spoken about sustainable development and climate action in India as well and talked about giving up the use of single-use plastic altogether. When such conversations begin at the United Nations, it is obvious for a tangible change to reverberate through the UN premises. At the media centre of the United Nations, WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay saw what could aptly be called the future of packaged drinking water - no more plastic bottles! No plastic at UN "At the United Nations, we didn't see plastic water bottles, we came across boxed water, the package read, "boxed water is better". It is sustainable, thoughtful and pure," Palki Sharma Upadhyay reported from New York. The second option to plastic water bottles that WION came across was called "Ever & Ever" - drinking water packaged in recyclable aluminum bottles. Ever and ever... "Thanks to those who recycle, 75 per cent of all aluminum ever produced is still in use. When used properly and recycled, this water may go on to become wind chimes, a flag pole, a filing cabinet, a pin-tie, and the Ever & Ever once again," as mentioned on the product website. Plastic waste As per a report published by an environmental watchdog, WorldWatch, in the year 2015, "Some 299 million tons of plastics were produced in 2013, representing a 4 per cent increase over 2012. Recovery and recycling, however, remain insufficient, and millions of tons of plastics end up in landfills and oceans each year". "According to the United Nations Environmental Program, between 22 percent and 43 percent of the plastic used worldwide is disposed of in landfills, where its resources are wasted, the material takes up valuable space, and it blights communities," the report stated. Interestingly, there have been many attempts to thwart the growing human dependence on the world of plastic. Leaf republic A German startup called the Leaf Republic creates durable, bio-degradable cutlery from waste leaves. The leaf-based cutlery is free from artificial agents and chemicals. The leaves are procured from wild vines of South America and Asia. A single plate comprises three layers, sewn and put together using palm fibres. The waterproof leaf-based cutlery is washable can be used again. The plates, when discarded, take around a month to get decomposed completely. Eat your water! Ooho, 'edible water bottles' were put on trial in April 2017 in London, UK. Tiny balls of water are, in reality, ice dipped in a mix of algae and calcium chloride. The entire ball of water can be gobbled down as it is, the product is completely digestible. "The aim of Ooho is to provide the convenience of plastic bottles while limiting the environmental impact," Skipping Rocks Lab. So, the next time you reach out to plastic water bottles, think of the alternatives you already have available in the market.

Watch: At UN, WION explores alternatives to plastic water bottles 

In what may be considered the grand finale of Prime Minister Modi's week-long United States visit, he will address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday evening. This will be his second time addressing the world body since 2014. In his last speech, he presented the idea of a 'Yoga Day', which is now celebrated annually across the world on June 21.

The Prime Minister is expected to strongly raise the issues of terrorism and climate change. Ever since he landed in the United States on Saturday, the PM has been busy attending <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-trade-to-terror-key-takeaways-from-trump-modi-bilateral-meeting-251872">bilateral meetings</a> with leaders from across the world.

During his two-city visit to Houston and New York, he reached out to the Indian diaspora, spoke at the Climate Change Summit, and met the CEOs of global conglomerates. He also won the Global Goalkeeper Award for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. He <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/this-belongs-to-crores-of-indians-who-adopted-swachh-bharat-pm-modi-on-receiving-global-goalkeeper-award-251874">dedicated the award</a> to the "130 crore people of India and the collective endeavours of our nation to improve cleanliness".

PM Modi started the week by addressing the United Nations Climate Change Summit where he highlighted the Indian government's climate action policies and called for a global movement to bring about change. He said, "We believe that an ounce of practice is worth more than a ton of preaching".

On Tuesday, he inaugurated the Gandhi Solar Park atop the UN Building and spoke at a lecture on the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi and his beliefs in the contemporary world.

He said, "Mahatma Gandhi never held positions of power. Yet, he motivates people around the world. Millions of people, several nations drew strength from his ideals and attained freedom."

The event was attended by the Secretary-General of the UN António Guterres, President of South Korea Moon Jae-in, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina, Jamaica's PM Andrew Holness, and Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/donald-trumps-endorsement-of-narendra-modis-remarks-on-kashmir-and-terrorism-a-setback-for-pakistan-251804">Modi</a> also reached out to small Island countries at the India Pacific Island Meet and the 1st India Caribbean Summit. Additionally, he has conducted bilateral meetings with more than ten global leaders including the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-howdy-modi-trump-and-pm-modi-could-sign-trade-deal-251028">US President Trump</a>&nbsp;on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

On Thursday the prime minister will meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. On Friday, he is slated to meet leaders from neighbouring countries including Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina.

In what may be considered the grand finale of Prime Minister Modi's week-long United States visit, he will address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday evening.

In what may be considered the grand finale of Prime Minister Modi's week-long United States visit, he will address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday evening. This will be his second time addressing the world body since 2014. In his last speech, he presented the idea of a 'Yoga Day', which is now celebrated annually across the world on June 21. The Prime Minister is expected to strongly raise the issues of terrorism and climate change. Ever since he landed in the United States on Saturday, the PM has been busy attending bilateral meetings with leaders from across the world. During his two-city visit to Houston and New York, he reached out to the Indian diaspora, spoke at the Climate Change Summit, and met the CEOs of global conglomerates. He also won the Global Goalkeeper Award for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. He dedicated the award to the "130 crore people of India and the collective endeavours of our nation to improve cleanliness". PM Modi started the week by addressing the United Nations Climate Change Summit where he highlighted the Indian government's climate action policies and called for a global movement to bring about change. He said, "We believe that an ounce of practice is worth more than a ton of preaching". On Tuesday, he inaugurated the Gandhi Solar Park atop the UN Building and spoke at a lecture on the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi and his beliefs in the contemporary world. He said, "Mahatma Gandhi never held positions of power. Yet, he motivates people around the world. Millions of people, several nations drew strength from his ideals and attained freedom." The event was attended by the Secretary-General of the UN António Guterres, President of South Korea Moon Jae-in, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina, Jamaica's PM Andrew Holness, and Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern. Modi also reached out to small Island countries at the India Pacific Island Meet and the 1st India Caribbean Summit. Additionally, he has conducted bilateral meetings with more than ten global leaders including the US President Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. On Thursday the prime minister will meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. On Friday, he is slated to meet leaders from neighbouring countries including Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina.

PM Modi's US visit to end this week, UNGA address on Friday

On the sidelines of the UN Climate Summit, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar spoke to WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay in an exclusive conversation. Javadekar spoke on a range of issues and stated that India has emerged as a global leader on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-how-dare-you-greta-thunberg-thunders-at-world-leaders-at-united-nations-251573">climate change</a>.

Here's the full transcript of the interview.&nbsp;

WION: The kind of commitment that India has shown on climate change, would it be fair to say that while developed countries kept their side of the bargain, India has emerged as a global leader on climate change?

Javadekar: I think absolutely yes, it has been a stunning performance by India and what a change. Five years ago, we were considered as the backbenchers now we are leading from the front with our actions. India has done remarkably in solar energy program, renewable energy program, the water program, the sanitation program, the clean air program, the clean fuel program, bio-fuel, and many others. Our forest covers, tree covers have increased, in-forest and outside forest also to an extent of 15,000 sq kilometres. So, it's all under Modi ji's dynamic leadership that all these actions are happening in India and we can proudly put before the world.

WION: PM Modi had said that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/time-for-talks-is-over-world-needs-to-act-now-pm-modi-at-un-climate-change-summit-251563">time for talking is over</a> and it is the time for the action, that India has come up with a roadmap.

Javadekar: The roadmap is what he laid out today. As far as renewable energy is concerned, as far as bio-fuel is concerned, then making fuel also taking it to the next level and at the same time investing more money, the increase in forest cover, the water mission, the sanitation program, single-use plastic ban call. The prime minister has not called for a ban, he has appealed to the common people to stop using single-use plastic.

That's what the program is about, collecting the uncollected plastic waste, uncollected plastic waste is a problem and that will be addressed through this public movement. We issued a notification in 2016 on plastic waste management, which also has elements on extended producers responsibility and many other factors, so now we have given some time to corporations and municipal bodies and will now be implementing it more strictly after the October 2 program launch by the prime minister.

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WION: On single-use plastic ban, the prime minister said the move does not succeed unless you provide a viable alternative, your thoughts?&nbsp;

Javadekar: The prime minister never talked about banning. To stop using single-use plastic is a public movement, it is a voluntary action. The problem is uncollected plastic waste below 50 microns, the thin bags are a major problem. Because for grocery shops or for buying vegetables also, people use those thin plastic bags. PM Modi says to use a cloth bag instead, it was being used earlier too.

The bottles that get recycled are not a problem. The prime minister wants to change the habit of extra dependence on plastic. Let there be a public movement, let there be regulations to follow and then we can achieve the target of clean India also by addressing the last mile of waste management.

WION: PM Modi also mentioned a global behavioural change. Do you believe that any of these roadmaps with leading economies of the world like us would not follow the actions? Like the US pulling out of the Paris accord and that has dealt a blow to global climate action.

Javadekar: I don't know the records actually but ever since the US pulled out of the Paris accord, today was the first time when US President Donald Trump dropped in a UN meeting on climate and that too to listen to PM Modi.

WION: Does that denote a change of heart?

Javadekar: I don't know, but lets always be hopeful that things will change for the better.

WION: Another point that was raised today was a disaster-resilient infrastructure. At a time when the global economy is under pressure if you talk about meeting emission norms, if you talk about pushing global climate action, it puts immense pressure on emerging economies like India. How do we balance with that?

Javadekar: That is the real issue, therefore the role of finance and technology transfer, seamless technology transfer becomes more important. Because you should not profit from possible disaster or a certain disaster of climate change. So, technologies we can reduce emissions must be available to the world at an affordable cost. That's the point which we are raising. The last two days we were in a meeting for industrial transitions and low carbon path. That's very important.

We need innovations and technologies to be cheaper, technologies to be affordable so that it is a win-win situation where you reduce the emissions and can still manage it effectively without increasing the price and without becoming uncompetitive in the markets.

WION: The prime minister also linked it to the Indian tradition and called it a people's movement. Movements and policies succeed when there is a political push and political will. In recent general elections in India, talks of climate change were in the manifesto but it was not in front of any political parties' manifesto or agenda. Do you think the PM wants climate change as the central point for the political agenda as well?

Javadekar: He is not setting the political agenda, what he is doing is taking India's legacy forward. We have a very good term in our tradition which is 'charachar srishti' which means flora and fauna becomes a family, that is what India's ethos is all about. We care about the environment, our theme is that the environment will give you enough but your greed cannot be fulfilled because we have limited resources - that is the message of the Indian culture. You know that the Bishnoi tribes in Rajasthan sacrificed their lives so that the trees could not be cut, that's a huge thing.

WION: We know that Delhi, during Diwali, will become a gas chamber. Is the government going to do anything about it?

Javadekar: We have already done 5 major things, therefore the good days - as far as clean air is considered - have increased and the number of bad air days has reduced. Point 2.5 and point 10 mg of dust particles have also reduced in the last 5 years because of our concentrated actions. Eastern peripheral expressway was completed by this government and therefore around 60,000 vehicles which use to pass through Delhi are now not coming to Delhi, which used to add great pollution to that extent.

With respect to industrial pollution, there is an effective ban on industries and pollution, 24 hours monitoring, a new technology for bricks cleaning and many measures are in place so that industrial pollution is under check. For dust pollution, we came out with the construction management rule, the construction and waste demolition rule now has new factories also under the purview.

We have already closed the Badarpur power plant and Rajghat power plant. We have already switched to BS-Vi fuel. Vehicles from April 1 will be BS-Vi compliant. Thousands of three-wheeler vehicles are already e-rikshaws. All this has had an impact on air pollution.

Even in stubble burning, there is a reduction of 30 per cent because the central government has invested, state governments have invested, we are offering incentives so that they don't burn and use that for many other uses. So everything is going as per the plan.

In November, yes, there is always a problem because we have windless and rainless winters. These are two naturals things which worsen the air quality, but we have at least accepted that there is a problem, we started AQI, the prime minister launched and we also established hundreds of air quality monitoring stations. We are doing localised experiments also. Everything is resulting favourably as far as Delhi's air pollution is concerned.

On the sidelines of the UN Climate Summit, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar spoke to WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay in an exclusive conversation.

On the sidelines of the UN Climate Summit, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar spoke to WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay in an exclusive conversation. Javadekar spoke on a range of issues and stated that India has emerged as a global leader on climate change. Here's the full transcript of the interview. WION: The kind of commitment that India has shown on climate change, would it be fair to say that while developed countries kept their side of the bargain, India has emerged as a global leader on climate change? Javadekar: I think absolutely yes, it has been a stunning performance by India and what a change. Five years ago, we were considered as the backbenchers now we are leading from the front with our actions. India has done remarkably in solar energy program, renewable energy program, the water program, the sanitation program, the clean air program, the clean fuel program, bio-fuel, and many others. Our forest covers, tree covers have increased, in-forest and outside forest also to an extent of 15,000 sq kilometres. So, it's all under Modi ji's dynamic leadership that all these actions are happening in India and we can proudly put before the world. WION: PM Modi had said that the time for talking is over and it is the time for the action, that India has come up with a roadmap. Javadekar: The roadmap is what he laid out today. As far as renewable energy is concerned, as far as bio-fuel is concerned, then making fuel also taking it to the next level and at the same time investing more money, the increase in forest cover, the water mission, the sanitation program, single-use plastic ban call. The prime minister has not called for a ban, he has appealed to the common people to stop using single-use plastic. That's what the program is about, collecting the uncollected plastic waste, uncollected plastic waste is a problem and that will be addressed through this public movement. We issued a notification in 2016 on plastic waste management, which also has elements on extended producers responsibility and many other factors, so now we have given some time to corporations and municipal bodies and will now be implementing it more strictly after the October 2 program launch by the prime minister. × WION: On single-use plastic ban, the prime minister said the move does not succeed unless you provide a viable alternative, your thoughts? Javadekar: The prime minister never talked about banning. To stop using single-use plastic is a public movement, it is a voluntary action. The problem is uncollected plastic waste below 50 microns, the thin bags are a major problem. Because for grocery shops or for buying vegetables also, people use those thin plastic bags. PM Modi says to use a cloth bag instead, it was being used earlier too. The bottles that get recycled are not a problem. The prime minister wants to change the habit of extra dependence on plastic. Let there be a public movement, let there be regulations to follow and then we can achieve the target of clean India also by addressing the last mile of waste management. WION: PM Modi also mentioned a global behavioural change. Do you believe that any of these roadmaps with leading economies of the world like us would not follow the actions? Like the US pulling out of the Paris accord and that has dealt a blow to global climate action. Javadekar: I don't know the records actually but ever since the US pulled out of the Paris accord, today was the first time when US President Donald Trump dropped in a UN meeting on climate and that too to listen to PM Modi. WION: Does that denote a change of heart? Javadekar: I don't know, but lets always be hopeful that things will change for the better. WION: Another point that was raised today was a disaster-resilient infrastructure. At a time when the global economy is under pressure if you talk about meeting emission norms, if you talk about pushing global climate action, it puts immense pressure on emerging economies like India. How do we balance with that? Javadekar: That is the real issue, therefore the role of finance and technology transfer, seamless technology transfer becomes more important. Because you should not profit from possible disaster or a certain disaster of climate change. So, technologies we can reduce emissions must be available to the world at an affordable cost. That's the point which we are raising. The last two days we were in a meeting for industrial transitions and low carbon path. That's very important. We need innovations and technologies to be cheaper, technologies to be affordable so that it is a win-win situation where you reduce the emissions and can still manage it effectively without increasing the price and without becoming uncompetitive in the markets. WION: The prime minister also linked it to the Indian tradition and called it a people's movement. Movements and policies succeed when there is a political push and political will. In recent general elections in India, talks of climate change were in the manifesto but it was not in front of any political parties' manifesto or agenda. Do you think the PM wants climate change as the central point for the political agenda as well? Javadekar: He is not setting the political agenda, what he is doing is taking India's legacy forward. We have a very good term in our tradition which is 'charachar srishti' which means flora and fauna becomes a family, that is what India's ethos is all about. We care about the environment, our theme is that the environment will give you enough but your greed cannot be fulfilled because we have limited resources - that is the message of the Indian culture. You know that the Bishnoi tribes in Rajasthan sacrificed their lives so that the trees could not be cut, that's a huge thing. WION: We know that Delhi, during Diwali, will become a gas chamber. Is the government going to do anything about it? Javadekar: We have already done 5 major things, therefore the good days - as far as clean air is considered - have increased and the number of bad air days has reduced. Point 2.5 and point 10 mg of dust particles have also reduced in the last 5 years because of our concentrated actions. Eastern peripheral expressway was completed by this government and therefore around 60,000 vehicles which use to pass through Delhi are now not coming to Delhi, which used to add great pollution to that extent. With respect to industrial pollution, there is an effective ban on industries and pollution, 24 hours monitoring, a new technology for bricks cleaning and many measures are in place so that industrial pollution is under check. For dust pollution, we came out with the construction management rule, the construction and waste demolition rule now has new factories also under the purview. We have already closed the Badarpur power plant and Rajghat power plant. We have already switched to BS-Vi fuel. Vehicles from April 1 will be BS-Vi compliant. Thousands of three-wheeler vehicles are already e-rikshaws. All this has had an impact on air pollution. Even in stubble burning, there is a reduction of 30 per cent because the central government has invested, state governments have invested, we are offering incentives so that they don't burn and use that for many other uses. So everything is going as per the plan. In November, yes, there is always a problem because we have windless and rainless winters. These are two naturals things which worsen the air quality, but we have at least accepted that there is a problem, we started AQI, the prime minister launched and we also established hundreds of air quality monitoring stations. We are doing localised experiments also. Everything is resulting favourably as far as Delhi's air pollution is concerned.

We're leading from the front on climate change: Prakash Javadekar tells WION

Energy and meetings with members of Indian diaspora were the top focus of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his first day of week-long US visit.

Modi's first engagement was with chief executives of top US energy companies.&nbsp;

CEOs of 17 global energy companies, whose combined net worth is one trillion US dollars, participated in the meet.&nbsp;

After the meeting, Modi tweeted "Had a wonderful interaction with leading energy sector CEOs. We discussed methods to harness opportunities in the energy sector."

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It is impossible to come to Houston and not talk energy! 
 
Had a wonderful interaction with leading energy sector CEOs. We discussed methods to harness opportunities in the energy sector. 
 
Also witnessed the signing of MoU between Tellurian and Petronet LNG. <a href="https://t.co/COEGYupCEt">pic.twitter.com/COEGYupCEt</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1175600120693428225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The companies, who have presence in 150 countries, plan to increase there footprint in India.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "CEOs talked about enhancing their footprint in India. They lauded government efforts towards Ease of Doing Business, steps were taken towards deregulation in the sector, supported reforms and policies and were upbeat on the Indian economy."

Houston based company Tellurian signed an MoU with India's Petronet LNG in which the latter will invest $2.5 billion in former's proposed Driftwood LNG export terminal. In this way, Petronet will have rights to five million metric tons of LNG per year over 40 years.

Modi later met Sikh, Dawoodi Bohra community and Kashmiri Pandit community.&nbsp;

The meetings came ahead of his biggest diaspora event in Houston — Howdy Modi — which according to organisers will see the participation of 50,000 people. The event begins at around 8.30 pm IST. He will also unveil a plaque for the groundbreaking ceremony of Eternal Gandhi Museum &amp; plaque inaugurating Gujarati Samaj of Houston Event Centre &amp; Shri Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Houston.

Modi is on a week-long US visit in which the focus is on trade, diaspora, counter-terror, climate change among others.

(With inputs from Aditi Tyagi)

Energy and meetings with members of Indian diaspora were the top focus of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his first day of week-long US visit. Modi's first engagement was with chief executives of top US energy companies.

Energy and meetings with members of Indian diaspora were the top focus of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his first day of week-long US visit. Modi's first engagement was with chief executives of top US energy companies. CEOs of 17 global energy companies, whose combined net worth is one trillion US dollars, participated in the meet. After the meeting, Modi tweeted "Had a wonderful interaction with leading energy sector CEOs. We discussed methods to harness opportunities in the energy sector." It is impossible to come to Houston and not talk energy! Had a wonderful interaction with leading energy sector CEOs. We discussed methods to harness opportunities in the energy sector. Also witnessed the signing of MoU between Tellurian and Petronet LNG. pic.twitter.com/COEGYupCEt — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 22, 2019 × The companies, who have presence in 150 countries, plan to increase there footprint in India. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "CEOs talked about enhancing their footprint in India. They lauded government efforts towards Ease of Doing Business, steps were taken towards deregulation in the sector, supported reforms and policies and were upbeat on the Indian economy." Houston based company Tellurian signed an MoU with India's Petronet LNG in which the latter will invest $2.5 billion in former's proposed Driftwood LNG export terminal. In this way, Petronet will have rights to five million metric tons of LNG per year over 40 years. Modi later met Sikh, Dawoodi Bohra community and Kashmiri Pandit community. The meetings came ahead of his biggest diaspora event in Houston — Howdy Modi — which according to organisers will see the participation of 50,000 people. The event begins at around 8.30 pm IST. He will also unveil a plaque for the groundbreaking ceremony of Eternal Gandhi Museum & plaque inaugurating Gujarati Samaj of Houston Event Centre & Shri Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Houston. Modi is on a week-long US visit in which the focus is on trade, diaspora, counter-terror, climate change among others. (With inputs from Aditi Tyagi)

Energy, diaspora in spotlight on PM Modi's first day in US

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/excitement-builds-up-as-indian-diaspora-gears-up-for-electrifying-howdy-modi-event-251008">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> will be addressing the biggest ever Indian diaspora event, '<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-howdy-modi-trump-and-pm-modi-could-sign-trade-deal-251028">Howdy Modi</a>', in the United States in Houston, Texas on Sunday. According to the organisers of the event, Texas India Forum, 50,000 people have registered for the event. The event will take place at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-howdy-modi-diaspora-event-meet-with-trump-multilateral-engagements-to-unga-address-pm-modis-jam-packed-us-schedule-251007">NRG Stadium in Houston</a>.&nbsp;

Jugal Malani, chairperson of Texas India Forum told WION, "Houston has a large Indian diaspora. We started from July 19 and when we started the registration process, within 3 weeks, 50,000 people registered and many are on the waiting list now".

It will be the largest gathering for any democratically elected foreign leader in the US. The biggest gathering which the US has seen for a visiting leader has been for the Pope. The big focus will be on US President Donald Trump's presence at the event.

"It is the relationship between the US and India. This is the main focus. Personal chemistry plays an important role. They have become a good friend", Malani said when asked on Trump's presence.

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This is the first time when an American President will be participating in the diaspora event and address the Indian-American community. Senior Democratic leadership of the United States will also be present at this event, this includes several elected Congressional representatives from both the parties.&nbsp;

Last week External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called Trump's participation a tribute to the role played by the Indian-Americans in the American society.

"I regard this as a great achievement of the Indian-American community that if today you have an event of this size and you have someone like President Trump coming there, this shows where that community has reached, how it is regarded in the US and respect it commands there... it is great achievement of the community,"&nbsp;Jaishankar said.

Before the Houston diaspora event, the prime minister has addressed the Indian-American community twice during his first term - first at the Madison Square Garden, New York in 2014 followed by his address in San Jose in the year 2015.

This is PM Modi's first visit to the US in his second term.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the biggest ever Indian diaspora event, 'Howdy Modi', in the United States in Houston, Texas on Sunday. According to the organisers of the event, Texas India Forum, 50,000 people have registered for the event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the biggest ever Indian diaspora event, 'Howdy Modi', in the United States in Houston, Texas on Sunday. According to the organisers of the event, Texas India Forum, 50,000 people have registered for the event. The event will take place at the NRG Stadium in Houston. Jugal Malani, chairperson of Texas India Forum told WION, "Houston has a large Indian diaspora. We started from July 19 and when we started the registration process, within 3 weeks, 50,000 people registered and many are on the waiting list now". It will be the largest gathering for any democratically elected foreign leader in the US. The biggest gathering which the US has seen for a visiting leader has been for the Pope. The big focus will be on US President Donald Trump's presence at the event. "It is the relationship between the US and India. This is the main focus. Personal chemistry plays an important role. They have become a good friend", Malani said when asked on Trump's presence. × This is the first time when an American President will be participating in the diaspora event and address the Indian-American community. Senior Democratic leadership of the United States will also be present at this event, this includes several elected Congressional representatives from both the parties. Last week External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called Trump's participation a tribute to the role played by the Indian-Americans in the American society. "I regard this as a great achievement of the Indian-American community that if today you have an event of this size and you have someone like President Trump coming there, this shows where that community has reached, how it is regarded in the US and respect it commands there... it is great achievement of the community," Jaishankar said. Before the Houston diaspora event, the prime minister has addressed the Indian-American community twice during his first term - first at the Madison Square Garden, New York in 2014 followed by his address in San Jose in the year 2015. This is PM Modi's first visit to the US in his second term.

'Howdy Modi' will see biggest crowd in US for a visiting leader next to Pope's visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that he will aim to present India as a global leader and boost ties with the US. The prime minister's comments came ahead of his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/houston-all-set-to-welcome-pm-modi-for-howdy-modi-event-despite-heavy-rains-250752">week-long visit to the US</a>.&nbsp;

In his departure statement, the prime minister said, "I am confident that my visit would present India as a vibrant land of opportunities, a reliable partner and a global leader and will also help impart new energy to our relations with the US."

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I thank the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for conferring upon me the Global Goalkeepers Goals Award 2019. Over the last five years India has taken many efforts to improve cleanliness and sanitation, fulfilling Gandhi Ji's dream of a Swachh Bharat.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1175037634319544320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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PM Modi will be meeting around 45 world leaders from India's immediate neighbourhood to Latin America. He will be meeting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-hails-trumps-special-gesture-towards-houston-diaspora-event-howdy-modi-249898">US President Trump</a> on Tuesday in New York for a bilateral. This will be his third bilateral meet with US President this year after meeting him on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Japan and the G7 Summit in France. PM Modi in the statement said he looks forward to meeting with Trump in Houston and New York.

"The US is a vital partner for our national development with rich possibilities of partnership in education, skills, research, technology and innovation and an enabler for India in economic growth and national security... Working together, we can contribute to building a more peaceful, stable, secure, sustainable and prosperous world".

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Overall there will be three main focus points of Prime Minister's visit -multilateral engagements at United Nations, Bilateral component in the United States--which include meeting with businesses, diaspora and US political leadership and bilateral meeting in New York.

Indian Ambassador to the United States Harsh V Shringla speaking to media in the Houston said, "the prime minister has a comprehensive programme in the US. He arrives in Houston this Saturday and soon after he arrives he has an event to meet the top CEOs of energy companies. Houston is the global hub for energy. Our cooperation with the US has increased significantly because of our interest in US crude oil and energy."

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Key events I would be attending at the <a href="https://twitter.com/UN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN</a> are the Climate Action Summit, an event on Universal Health Coverage, and opening plenary of the Bloomberg Global Business Forum. These forums will give opportunities to showcase India’s efforts to build peaceful and prosperous world.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1175037629059878917?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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PM Modi's first stop will be Houston where his first engagement will be to meet the CEOs of top energy companies. Houston, the capital city of Texas, is the fourth most populous city of the US.&nbsp;

On Sunday, PM Modi will be participating in the "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tulsi-gabbard-welcomes-pm-modi-to-us-says-sorry-for-not-being-able-to-attend-howdy-modi-event-250719">Howdy Modi" event</a> wherein he will address the local India diaspora. It will be the largest gathering of people for a visiting democratically elected leader. According to the organisers, 50,000 people have registered for the event, mostly Indian-Americans. US President Donald Trump, along with senior democratic leadership, will be present at the event.

The prime minister will be in New York from Monday and will be speaking nine times at various events throughout the week that will be broadcast live. Monday will see him address climate change and health care summit and a leaders' dialogue on 'strategic responses to terrorist and violent extremists narrative'.

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In New York City, a large part of the programmes will be at the <a href="https://twitter.com/UN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN</a>. Since its inception, India has been actively participating in various programmes and initiatives of the UN, reflecting our unwavering commitment to multilateralism. My address at the UNGA would be on the 27th.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1175037627231166471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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On Tuesday, the focus will be on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with the launch of Gandhi solar park in United Nations headquarters premises. Gandhi solar park has 193 panels representing the UN member nations and has been built with Indian government's grant of one million dollars. Solar panels gifted from India will be installed on the roof of the UN headquarters. The panels are powered up to reach max 50 KW of generation power. With an output of 86244 Kwh, it equals to 61 metric tons of CO2 or 30,242 kilograms of coal burned carbon sequestered from 1,008 tree seedlings grown over 10 years. A UN postage stamp will also be released and Gandhi peace garden will be inaugurated at the New York State University.

PM Modi will address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27 anytime after 8 pm India time.

Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said, "This is PM's first visit to the United States after the re-election of the government and the prime minister is going to UNGA with solid achievements in previous five years in sustainable development goals. Our intention is to showcase the progress made on climate change, universal health coverage, sanitation et cetera and convey expectation from other countries and understand their aspirations".

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I look forward to my meeting with <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>. 
 
Shared values, convergent interests and complementary strengths provide the strong foundations for a natural partnership between the world's oldest and largest democracies.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1175037625532502022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"The PM is also of the view that it is important to play the role that his expected of India in shaping the global agenda - both political and socio-economic. The PM will again reiterate a position India has been saying for a long time and that is multilateralism is at the centre of global politics and it should remain so".

Two important summits will take place while PM Modi will be in the United States - the third India-Pacific Island Summit and the first India Caribbean Summit. The focus will also be on investments with PM meeting CEOs of 45 US companies like Amway Corp, Bank of America, Coca Cola, Deloitte, IBM, Cisco Systems Inc, JPMorgan &amp; Chase, Lockheed Martin, Marriott International, MasterCard, Microsoft, Visa, Walmart Retail.

This is the first visit to the US by PM Modi in his second term. In his first term, the prime minister visited the US twice - once in 2014 and then in 2015.

No meeting with Pakistan PM Imran Khan will take place. Khan will also be in New York for the UNGA week.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that he will aim to present India as a global leader and boost ties with the US. The prime minister's comments came ahead of his week-long visit to the US.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that he will aim to present India as a global leader and boost ties with the US. The prime minister's comments came ahead of his week-long visit to the US. In his departure statement, the prime minister said, "I am confident that my visit would present India as a vibrant land of opportunities, a reliable partner and a global leader and will also help impart new energy to our relations with the US." I thank the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for conferring upon me the Global Goalkeepers Goals Award 2019. Over the last five years India has taken many efforts to improve cleanliness and sanitation, fulfilling Gandhi Ji's dream of a Swachh Bharat. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2019 × PM Modi will be meeting around 45 world leaders from India's immediate neighbourhood to Latin America. He will be meeting US President Trump on Tuesday in New York for a bilateral. This will be his third bilateral meet with US President this year after meeting him on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Japan and the G7 Summit in France. PM Modi in the statement said he looks forward to meeting with Trump in Houston and New York. "The US is a vital partner for our national development with rich possibilities of partnership in education, skills, research, technology and innovation and an enabler for India in economic growth and national security... Working together, we can contribute to building a more peaceful, stable, secure, sustainable and prosperous world". × Overall there will be three main focus points of Prime Minister's visit -multilateral engagements at United Nations, Bilateral component in the United States--which include meeting with businesses, diaspora and US political leadership and bilateral meeting in New York. Indian Ambassador to the United States Harsh V Shringla speaking to media in the Houston said, "the prime minister has a comprehensive programme in the US. He arrives in Houston this Saturday and soon after he arrives he has an event to meet the top CEOs of energy companies. Houston is the global hub for energy. Our cooperation with the US has increased significantly because of our interest in US crude oil and energy." Key events I would be attending at the @UN are the Climate Action Summit, an event on Universal Health Coverage, and opening plenary of the Bloomberg Global Business Forum. These forums will give opportunities to showcase India’s efforts to build peaceful and prosperous world. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2019 × PM Modi's first stop will be Houston where his first engagement will be to meet the CEOs of top energy companies. Houston, the capital city of Texas, is the fourth most populous city of the US. On Sunday, PM Modi will be participating in the "Howdy Modi" event wherein he will address the local India diaspora. It will be the largest gathering of people for a visiting democratically elected leader. According to the organisers, 50,000 people have registered for the event, mostly Indian-Americans. US President Donald Trump, along with senior democratic leadership, will be present at the event. The prime minister will be in New York from Monday and will be speaking nine times at various events throughout the week that will be broadcast live. Monday will see him address climate change and health care summit and a leaders' dialogue on 'strategic responses to terrorist and violent extremists narrative'. In New York City, a large part of the programmes will be at the @UN. Since its inception, India has been actively participating in various programmes and initiatives of the UN, reflecting our unwavering commitment to multilateralism. My address at the UNGA would be on the 27th. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2019 × On Tuesday, the focus will be on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with the launch of Gandhi solar park in United Nations headquarters premises. Gandhi solar park has 193 panels representing the UN member nations and has been built with Indian government's grant of one million dollars. Solar panels gifted from India will be installed on the roof of the UN headquarters. The panels are powered up to reach max 50 KW of generation power. With an output of 86244 Kwh, it equals to 61 metric tons of CO2 or 30,242 kilograms of coal burned carbon sequestered from 1,008 tree seedlings grown over 10 years. A UN postage stamp will also be released and Gandhi peace garden will be inaugurated at the New York State University. PM Modi will address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27 anytime after 8 pm India time. Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said, "This is PM's first visit to the United States after the re-election of the government and the prime minister is going to UNGA with solid achievements in previous five years in sustainable development goals. Our intention is to showcase the progress made on climate change, universal health coverage, sanitation et cetera and convey expectation from other countries and understand their aspirations". I look forward to my meeting with @POTUS @realDonaldTrump. Shared values, convergent interests and complementary strengths provide the strong foundations for a natural partnership between the world's oldest and largest democracies. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 20, 2019 × "The PM is also of the view that it is important to play the role that his expected of India in shaping the global agenda - both political and socio-economic. The PM will again reiterate a position India has been saying for a long time and that is multilateralism is at the centre of global politics and it should remain so". Two important summits will take place while PM Modi will be in the United States - the third India-Pacific Island Summit and the first India Caribbean Summit. The focus will also be on investments with PM meeting CEOs of 45 US companies like Amway Corp, Bank of America, Coca Cola, Deloitte, IBM, Cisco Systems Inc, JPMorgan & Chase, Lockheed Martin, Marriott International, MasterCard, Microsoft, Visa, Walmart Retail. This is the first visit to the US by PM Modi in his second term. In his first term, the prime minister visited the US twice - once in 2014 and then in 2015. No meeting with Pakistan PM Imran Khan will take place. Khan will also be in New York for the UNGA week.

'Will present India as global leader,' says PM Modi ahead of US visit

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Palki Sharma

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