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India will produce about 300 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines next year, a Russian official was quoted as saying.

According to Reuters, this new number is nearly three times the previously known quantity as deals have been signed with more manufacturers.

Russia is already testing the first samples of Sputnik V that were produced in India, its embassy in New Delhi said on Twitter on Friday, sharing a news story in which their vaccine czar Kirill Dmitriev was quoted.

"In India, we have agreements with four large manufacturers. India will produce about 300 million doses or more of the vaccine for us next year, " Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) told Rossiya 24 TV, according to news agency TASS.

India's Hetero Biopharma has already announced a deal with the RDIF to make more than 100 million doses of Sputnik V, whose efficacy has been found to be more than 91% in trials done outside India.

Indian officials have said they may approve some vaccines for emergency use authorisation in the coming weeks. So far only three vaccines from Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech and Indian company Bharat Biotech have applied for urgent approval.

India is the world's second-worst affected country after the United States, which has recorded 16.9 million cases. It reported 22,890 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, taking its total to just shy of 10 million. The death toll stands at 144,789.

India is the world's biggest vaccine maker and its pharmaceutical industry is freeing up capacity and accelerating investments ahead of the global rush for COVID-19 shots.

(with inputs)

India will produce about 300 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines next year, a Russian official was quoted as saying. According to Reuters, this new number is nearly three times the previously known quantity as deals have been signed with more manufacturers.

India will produce about 300 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines next year, a Russian official was quoted as saying. According to Reuters, this new number is nearly three times the previously known quantity as deals have been signed with more manufacturers. Russia is already testing the first samples of Sputnik V that were produced in India, its embassy in New Delhi said on Twitter on Friday, sharing a news story in which their vaccine czar Kirill Dmitriev was quoted. "In India, we have agreements with four large manufacturers. India will produce about 300 million doses or more of the vaccine for us next year, " Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) told Rossiya 24 TV, according to news agency TASS. India's Hetero Biopharma has already announced a deal with the RDIF to make more than 100 million doses of Sputnik V, whose efficacy has been found to be more than 91% in trials done outside India. Indian officials have said they may approve some vaccines for emergency use authorisation in the coming weeks. So far only three vaccines from Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech and Indian company Bharat Biotech have applied for urgent approval. India is the world's second-worst affected country after the United States, which has recorded 16.9 million cases. It reported 22,890 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, taking its total to just shy of 10 million. The death toll stands at 144,789. India is the world's biggest vaccine maker and its pharmaceutical industry is freeing up capacity and accelerating investments ahead of the global rush for COVID-19 shots. (with inputs)

India to produce about 300 mn doses of Russian vaccine; new deals signed

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually addressed Madhya Pradesh farmers and said the laws have not been introduced overnight. There have been decades of discussions, consultations, he said.&nbsp;

Speaking at a virtual event, Prime Minister Modi reiterated his earlier remarks. Political parties should stop misguiding farmers. It's been 6-7 months since Farm laws were implemented. But now suddenly, games are being played to plough one's own political land through a web of lies, he alleged.

"I request all political parties with folded hands, please keep all the credit. I'm giving credit to all your old election manifestos. I just want ease in the life of farmers, I want their progress and want modernity in agriculture," the Prime Minister added.

The now controversial farm laws, the Prime Minister said, had not been introduced overnight. Nor were they new ideas. "Over last 20-30 years, central govt and state govts had detailed discussions on these reforms," he contended.

The Prime Minister also spoke about benefits given to farmers in recent years. "Today, several farmers have been given Kisan Credit Card. Earlier, they were not available to all farmers. But we changed rules to make Kisan Credit Card available to all farmers across the country," he said.

"Today Rs 16 thousand crores are being transferred into the bank accounts of 35 lakhs farmers of Madhya Pradesh," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually addressed Madhya Pradesh farmers and said the laws have not been introduced overnight. There have been decades of discussions, consultations, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually addressed Madhya Pradesh farmers and said the laws have not been introduced overnight. There have been decades of discussions, consultations, he said. Speaking at a virtual event, Prime Minister Modi reiterated his earlier remarks. Political parties should stop misguiding farmers. It's been 6-7 months since Farm laws were implemented. But now suddenly, games are being played to plough one's own political land through a web of lies, he alleged. "I request all political parties with folded hands, please keep all the credit. I'm giving credit to all your old election manifestos. I just want ease in the life of farmers, I want their progress and want modernity in agriculture," the Prime Minister added. The now controversial farm laws, the Prime Minister said, had not been introduced overnight. Nor were they new ideas. "Over last 20-30 years, central govt and state govts had detailed discussions on these reforms," he contended. The Prime Minister also spoke about benefits given to farmers in recent years. "Today, several farmers have been given Kisan Credit Card. Earlier, they were not available to all farmers. But we changed rules to make Kisan Credit Card available to all farmers across the country," he said. "Today Rs 16 thousand crores are being transferred into the bank accounts of 35 lakhs farmers of Madhya Pradesh," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Farm laws have not been introduced overnight, PM Modi slams opposition for 'misguiding' farmers

With Pakistan in focus, India, and Australia have called for "sustained" and "irreversible" action on terrorism during the 12th meeting of Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism between the 2 countries.

Without taking Islamabad's name, a joint release after the virtual talks said both sides, "underlined the urgent need for all countries to take immediate, sustained, verifiable and irreversible action" to ensure that "no territory under their control is used for terrorist attacks".

Both sides also called " to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of such attacks", something that in diplomatic parlance means, Pakistan acting on the perpetrators of terror attacks in India, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

The release said, "Australia reiterated its condemnation of terrorist attacks in India, including 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot and Pulwama and reiterated its support for the people and the government of India in the fight against terrorism."

All the 3 terror attacks were masterminded by terrorists and terror organisations based in Pakistan and by the country's own admission, many of these terrorists remain on its soil. &nbsp;Pakistan's top investigative authority, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in November of this year accepted the presence of eleven 26/11 terrorists who facilitated the 26/11 terror attack on its soil.

During the talks, India and Australia, "condemned the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism", and exchanged views on areas of cooperation like countering radicalization, combating the financing of terrorism, exploitation of the internet for terrorism, and violent extremism. The focus was also on counter-terrorism cooperation at UN, G20, FATF and the Quad--grouping.

Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary for Counter-Terrorism in the Ministry of External Affairs represented India in the talks, while from the Australian side, Tony Sheehan, Deputy Secretary International Security was present.

With Pakistan in focus, India, and Australia have called for "sustained" and "irreversible" action on terrorism during the 12th meeting of Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism between the 2 countries.

With Pakistan in focus, India, and Australia have called for "sustained" and "irreversible" action on terrorism during the 12th meeting of Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism between the 2 countries. Without taking Islamabad's name, a joint release after the virtual talks said both sides, "underlined the urgent need for all countries to take immediate, sustained, verifiable and irreversible action" to ensure that "no territory under their control is used for terrorist attacks". Both sides also called " to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of such attacks", something that in diplomatic parlance means, Pakistan acting on the perpetrators of terror attacks in India, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The release said, "Australia reiterated its condemnation of terrorist attacks in India, including 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot and Pulwama and reiterated its support for the people and the government of India in the fight against terrorism." All the 3 terror attacks were masterminded by terrorists and terror organisations based in Pakistan and by the country's own admission, many of these terrorists remain on its soil. Pakistan's top investigative authority, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in November of this year accepted the presence of eleven 26/11 terrorists who facilitated the 26/11 terror attack on its soil. During the talks, India and Australia, "condemned the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism", and exchanged views on areas of cooperation like countering radicalization, combating the financing of terrorism, exploitation of the internet for terrorism, and violent extremism. The focus was also on counter-terrorism cooperation at UN, G20, FATF and the Quad--grouping. Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary for Counter-Terrorism in the Ministry of External Affairs represented India in the talks, while from the Australian side, Tony Sheehan, Deputy Secretary International Security was present.

With Pakistan in focus, India, Australia call for sustainable, irreversible action on terrorism

The 20th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation &amp; Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) is underway virtually. WMCC is an institutional mechanism, established in 2012, for consultation and coordination for the management of India - China border areas.

On Thursday, at the weekly virtual meet, the Indian ministry of external affairs spokesperson Anurag Shrivastava said, "It is our expectation that the further discussions will help both sides to achieve an agreement on a mutually acceptable solution for ensuring complete disengagement in all friction points along the LAC in the Western sector and full restoration of peace and tranquillity as early as possible."

The last such round of talks happened on 30th September. The Indian side is led by Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs with his Chinese counterpart, who is usually the Director-General of the Boundary &amp; Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The talks come even as the over 8-month long standoff at the line of actual control (LAC) continues. 2020 has a bad year for India China ties, not only because of the build-up by the Chinese troops at LAC in eastern Ladakh but also because of the aggressive actions by PLA troops in Galwan which led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers.

The 20th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) is underway virtually. WMCC is an institutional mechanism, established in 2012, for consultation and coordination for the management of India - China border areas.

The 20th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) is underway virtually. WMCC is an institutional mechanism, established in 2012, for consultation and coordination for the management of India - China border areas. On Thursday, at the weekly virtual meet, the Indian ministry of external affairs spokesperson Anurag Shrivastava said, "It is our expectation that the further discussions will help both sides to achieve an agreement on a mutually acceptable solution for ensuring complete disengagement in all friction points along the LAC in the Western sector and full restoration of peace and tranquillity as early as possible." The last such round of talks happened on 30th September. The Indian side is led by Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs with his Chinese counterpart, who is usually the Director-General of the Boundary & Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The talks come even as the over 8-month long standoff at the line of actual control (LAC) continues. 2020 has a bad year for India China ties, not only because of the build-up by the Chinese troops at LAC in eastern Ladakh but also because of the aggressive actions by PLA troops in Galwan which led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers.

20th round of India, China WMCC talks underway

Expressing her gratitude to the country and the Indian Army for their support during the 1971 liberation war, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that India is Bangladesh's true friend

Addressing a virtual summit with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Hasina said that she is happy to meet him again, particularly on this month of victory. 
&nbsp;

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Bangladesh is on the verge of celebrating 50 years as an independent nation. Your (PM Modi) visit to Dhaka on 26th March 2021 will be the crowning glory of our joint commemoration of Bangladesh's Liberation War 1971: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina <a href="https://t.co/MNdjUqrYid">pic.twitter.com/MNdjUqrYid</a>
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December evokes in all Bangladeshis the spirit of joy, freedom and celebration as we recall with deep gratitude our 'Father of the Nation' Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Under whose dynamic leadership we earned our great independence,? she said.

'India is our true friend,' the Bangladesh Prime Minister said.

I pay deep homage to the three million martyrs who laid down their lives. I pay tribute to the members of the Indian armed forces martyred in the war and to their families. I pay my gratitude to the government and the people of India who extended their wholehearted support for the cause of our nation, she said.

The war in 1971 broke after the sudden crackdown at midnight past on March 25, 1971, in erstwhile East Pakistan by the Pakistani troops and ended on December 16.&nbsp;

The same year Pakistan conceded defeat and unconditionally surrendered in Dhaka to the allied forces comprising the freedom fighters and the Indian soldiers.

Officially three million people were killed during the nine-month-long war.

Modi and Hasina jointly inaugurated a digital exhibition on Mujibur Rahman and Mahatma Gandhi to celebrate the life and legacies of the iconic leaders.

Hasina and Modi also relaunched a trans-border rail route between Chilahati and West Bengal's Haldibari which has been inoperative for almost 55 years.

The ties between India and Bangladesh have witnessed a significant upswing in the last few years. Both sides have scaled up to trade and economic engagement besides implementing several connectivity and infrastructure projects.

(With inputs from agencies)

Expressing her gratitude to the country and the Indian Army for their support during the 1971 liberation war, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that India is Bangladesh's true friend Addressing a virtual summit with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Hasina said that she is happy to meet him again, particularly on this month of victory.

Expressing her gratitude to the country and the Indian Army for their support during the 1971 liberation war, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that India is Bangladesh's true friend Addressing a virtual summit with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Hasina said that she is happy to meet him again, particularly on this month of victory. Bangladesh is on the verge of celebrating 50 years as an independent nation. Your (PM Modi) visit to Dhaka on 26th March 2021 will be the crowning glory of our joint commemoration of Bangladesh's Liberation War 1971: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina pic.twitter.com/MNdjUqrYid — ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2020 × December evokes in all Bangladeshis the spirit of joy, freedom and celebration as we recall with deep gratitude our 'Father of the Nation' Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Under whose dynamic leadership we earned our great independence,? she said. 'India is our true friend,' the Bangladesh Prime Minister said. I pay deep homage to the three million martyrs who laid down their lives. I pay tribute to the members of the Indian armed forces martyred in the war and to their families. I pay my gratitude to the government and the people of India who extended their wholehearted support for the cause of our nation, she said. The war in 1971 broke after the sudden crackdown at midnight past on March 25, 1971, in erstwhile East Pakistan by the Pakistani troops and ended on December 16. The same year Pakistan conceded defeat and unconditionally surrendered in Dhaka to the allied forces comprising the freedom fighters and the Indian soldiers. Officially three million people were killed during the nine-month-long war. Modi and Hasina jointly inaugurated a digital exhibition on Mujibur Rahman and Mahatma Gandhi to celebrate the life and legacies of the iconic leaders. Hasina and Modi also relaunched a trans-border rail route between Chilahati and West Bengal's Haldibari which has been inoperative for almost 55 years. The ties between India and Bangladesh have witnessed a significant upswing in the last few years. Both sides have scaled up to trade and economic engagement besides implementing several connectivity and infrastructure projects. (With inputs from agencies)

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina calls India a 'true friend', thanks Indian army for help in 1971 liberation war

Income Tax searches at the premises of a civil contractor for government works has led to the seizure of Rs.21 cr (about USD 3 million) unaccounted cash and detection fo Rs.700 cr (over USD 951 million) unaccounted income.&nbsp;

According to the department, the searches were carried out on December 14 and at 15 in Chennai and Erode premises. The searched group specialises in erecting seawall breaks along the coast and diversified into bus transport, running marriage halls and cooking masala business.&nbsp;

“It was found that the group indulges in inflation of purchases and other work contract expenses. Such inflated payments made to the suppliers and subcontractors are received back in cash regularly” read the statement from the Central Board of Direct taxes.&nbsp;

It also added that the Rs.700 crore unaccounted income is ploughed back into real estate investments and business expansion and that the assessee admitted to having an undisclosed income of Rs.150 cr (over 20 million) so far.&nbsp;

Income Tax searches at the premises of a civil contractor for government works has led to the seizure of Rs.21 cr (about USD 3 million) unaccounted cash and detection fo Rs.

Income Tax searches at the premises of a civil contractor for government works has led to the seizure of Rs.21 cr (about USD 3 million) unaccounted cash and detection fo Rs.700 cr (over USD 951 million) unaccounted income. According to the department, the searches were carried out on December 14 and at 15 in Chennai and Erode premises. The searched group specialises in erecting seawall breaks along the coast and diversified into bus transport, running marriage halls and cooking masala business. “It was found that the group indulges in inflation of purchases and other work contract expenses. Such inflated payments made to the suppliers and subcontractors are received back in cash regularly” read the statement from the Central Board of Direct taxes. It also added that the Rs.700 crore unaccounted income is ploughed back into real estate investments and business expansion and that the assessee admitted to having an undisclosed income of Rs.150 cr (over 20 million) so far.

Tamil Nadu: Over USD 950 million unaccounted income detected at govt contractor's premises

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is set to meet some of the Congress dissenters who had earlier written a letter to her flagging leadership crisis.&nbsp;

Several reports claimed that Gandhi will be holding a series of meetings on December 19 and 20 with party leaders over key issues and will also meet some important members of the rebel leaders.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-extends-support-to-bharat-bandh-as-deadlock-between-farmers-govt-continues-347886">Congress extends support to 'Bharat Bandh' as deadlock between farmers, govt continues</a>

It is not clear whether other key Congress leaders and Sonia's children, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be a part of the meeting.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/khurshid-slams-congress-critics-says-support-to-gandhis-apparent-to-anyone-who-isnt-blind-344717">Khurshid slams Congress critics, says support to Gandhis 'apparent to anyone who isn't blind'</a>

The dissent leaders include Leader of Opposition Rajya Sabha (Upper House) Ghulam Nabi Azar and deputy leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha (Rajya Sabha) Anand Sharma will meet the party chief, sources told news agency PTI.

This will be the first face-to-face meeting of Sonia with party leaders after the coronavirus pandemic spread in India.

The meetings will focus on key issues that are concerning Congress, its performance in the recent polls and its strategy ahead of the winter session of Parliament.&nbsp;

Reports suggest that senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath played a key role in acting as a mediator between Congress dissenters and party leadership which resulted in this meeting.

On August, 23 Congress leaders signed a letter demanding party to have a "full and active leadership", more than a year after its lacklustre performance in the 2019 general election and after it lost power in the state of Madhya Pradesh. &nbsp;

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is set to meet some of the Congress dissenters who had earlier written a letter to her flagging leadership crisis. Several reports claimed that Gandhi will be holding a series of meetings on December 19 and 20 with party leaders over key issues and will also meet some important members of the rebel leaders.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is set to meet some of the Congress dissenters who had earlier written a letter to her flagging leadership crisis. Several reports claimed that Gandhi will be holding a series of meetings on December 19 and 20 with party leaders over key issues and will also meet some important members of the rebel leaders. Also read | Congress extends support to 'Bharat Bandh' as deadlock between farmers, govt continues It is not clear whether other key Congress leaders and Sonia's children, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be a part of the meeting. Also read | Khurshid slams Congress critics, says support to Gandhis 'apparent to anyone who isn't blind' The dissent leaders include Leader of Opposition Rajya Sabha (Upper House) Ghulam Nabi Azar and deputy leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha (Rajya Sabha) Anand Sharma will meet the party chief, sources told news agency PTI. This will be the first face-to-face meeting of Sonia with party leaders after the coronavirus pandemic spread in India. The meetings will focus on key issues that are concerning Congress, its performance in the recent polls and its strategy ahead of the winter session of Parliament. Reports suggest that senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath played a key role in acting as a mediator between Congress dissenters and party leadership which resulted in this meeting. On August, 23 Congress leaders signed a letter demanding party to have a "full and active leadership", more than a year after its lacklustre performance in the 2019 general election and after it lost power in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Sonia Gandhi agrees to meet 'rebel' Congress leaders in person

Connectivity and paying tributes to Bangladesh's father of the nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the centenary birth anniversary celebration will be the top focus areas of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina's virtual summit on Thursday.

Prime Ministers To Focus On Connectivity Haldibari - Chilahati Rail Link

The US on Wednesday added India along with Taiwan and Thailand to the "monitoring list" of currency manipulating countries that includes major trading partners like China and six others.

It also branded Vietnam and Switzerland as currency manipulators.

Other countries in the monitoring list are Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, Singapore and Malaysia.

Ireland has been removed from the Monitoring List, the US Department of Treasury said in its report Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States' submitted to the Congress on Wednesday.

Over the four quarters through June 2020, four major US trading partners Vietnam, Switzerland, India, and Singapore&nbsp;intervened in the foreign exchange market in a sustained, asymmetric manner, it said.

Vietnam and Switzerland exceeded the two other objective criteria established by the Treasury to identify potentially unfair currency practices or excessive external imbalances, which could weigh on US growth or harm American workers and firms.

"The Treasury Department has taken a strong step today to safeguard economic growth and opportunity for American workers and businesses said US Treasury Secretary Steven T Mnuchin.

"Treasury will follow up on its findings with respect to Vietnam and Switzerland to work toward eliminating practices that create unfair advantages for foreign competitors,&nbsp;he said in a press release issued by the Treasury Department.

The Treasury found that 10 economies warrant placement on Treasury's "Monitoring List" of major trading partners that merit close attention to their currency practices: China, Japan, Korea, Germany, Italy, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and India, the last three being added in the report.

Based on Reserve Bank of India's regularly published intervention data, India's net purchases of foreign exchange accelerated notably in the second half of 2019, and following sales during the initial onset of the pandemic, India sustained net purchases for much of the first half of 2020, the report said.

This pushed net purchases of foreign exchange to USD 64 billion, or 2.4 per cent of GDP, over the four quarters through June 2020.

"Treasury continues to welcome India's long-standing transparency in publishing foreign exchange purchases and sales, the report said, adding that it encourages the authorities to limit foreign exchange intervention to periods of excessive volatility while allowing the rupee to adjust based on economic fundamentals.

"By further opening the economy to foreign investors, India can also support economic recovery and bolster long-term growth, said the report.

According to the Treasury, India's economy contracted sharply in the first half of 2020 due to the collapse in domestic demand brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The authorities responded with the modest direct financial support of around two per cent of GDP and substantial monetary easing.

India's deep domestic demand contraction and slower recovery relative to its key trading partners contributed to the economy's first four-quarter current account surplus since 2004 (0.4 per cent of GDP over the year to June 2020).

India for several years has maintained a significant bilateral goods trade surplus with the United States, which totalled USD 22 billion in the four quarters through June 2020, it said.

The Treasury said that India has been exemplary in publishing its foreign exchange market intervention, publishing monthly spot purchases and sales and net forward activity with a two-month lag.

The RBI states that the value of the rupee is broadly market-determined, with intervention used only to curb undue volatility in the exchange rate.

The RBI purchased foreign exchange on the net in 10 of the 12 months through June 2020, with the net intervention (both spot and forward intervention) reaching USD 64 billion, or 2.4 per cent of GDP.

While purchases slowed during the onset of the pandemic, and the RBI engaged in net sales in March 2020, the RBI's net purchases again accelerated in mid-2020 as portfolio inflows resumed and foreign direct investment remained strong.

"Rupee volatility did not appear to have been particularly elevated in the four quarters through June 2020, however.

These purchases have led to a rapid rise in total reserves that are now well in excess of standard reserve adequacy benchmarks.

As of June 2020, foreign currency reserves stood at USD 466 billion, equal to 4.4 times gross short-term external debt.

Reserves have continued to grow in recent months, reaching USD502 billion in September 2020 as purchases accelerated further in July and August, it said.

The Treasury said that Indian authorities should allow the exchange rate to move to reflect economic fundamentals and limit foreign exchange intervention to circumstances of disorderly market conditions.

It said India can also leverage the recovery period to pursue structural reforms that will open its market further to foreign investment and trade, including foreign portfolio investment in Indian sovereign and sub-sovereign bonds, thereby fostering stronger long-term growth.

The US on Wednesday added India along with Taiwan and Thailand to the "monitoring list" of currency manipulating countries that includes major trading partners like China and six others.

The US on Wednesday added India along with Taiwan and Thailand to the "monitoring list" of currency manipulating countries that includes major trading partners like China and six others. It also branded Vietnam and Switzerland as currency manipulators. Other countries in the monitoring list are Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, Singapore and Malaysia. Ireland has been removed from the Monitoring List, the US Department of Treasury said in its report Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States' submitted to the Congress on Wednesday. Over the four quarters through June 2020, four major US trading partners Vietnam, Switzerland, India, and Singapore intervened in the foreign exchange market in a sustained, asymmetric manner, it said. Vietnam and Switzerland exceeded the two other objective criteria established by the Treasury to identify potentially unfair currency practices or excessive external imbalances, which could weigh on US growth or harm American workers and firms. "The Treasury Department has taken a strong step today to safeguard economic growth and opportunity for American workers and businesses said US Treasury Secretary Steven T Mnuchin. "Treasury will follow up on its findings with respect to Vietnam and Switzerland to work toward eliminating practices that create unfair advantages for foreign competitors, he said in a press release issued by the Treasury Department. The Treasury found that 10 economies warrant placement on Treasury's "Monitoring List" of major trading partners that merit close attention to their currency practices: China, Japan, Korea, Germany, Italy, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and India, the last three being added in the report. Based on Reserve Bank of India's regularly published intervention data, India's net purchases of foreign exchange accelerated notably in the second half of 2019, and following sales during the initial onset of the pandemic, India sustained net purchases for much of the first half of 2020, the report said. This pushed net purchases of foreign exchange to USD 64 billion, or 2.4 per cent of GDP, over the four quarters through June 2020. "Treasury continues to welcome India's long-standing transparency in publishing foreign exchange purchases and sales, the report said, adding that it encourages the authorities to limit foreign exchange intervention to periods of excessive volatility while allowing the rupee to adjust based on economic fundamentals. "By further opening the economy to foreign investors, India can also support economic recovery and bolster long-term growth, said the report. According to the Treasury, India's economy contracted sharply in the first half of 2020 due to the collapse in domestic demand brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The authorities responded with the modest direct financial support of around two per cent of GDP and substantial monetary easing. India's deep domestic demand contraction and slower recovery relative to its key trading partners contributed to the economy's first four-quarter current account surplus since 2004 (0.4 per cent of GDP over the year to June 2020). India for several years has maintained a significant bilateral goods trade surplus with the United States, which totalled USD 22 billion in the four quarters through June 2020, it said. The Treasury said that India has been exemplary in publishing its foreign exchange market intervention, publishing monthly spot purchases and sales and net forward activity with a two-month lag. The RBI states that the value of the rupee is broadly market-determined, with intervention used only to curb undue volatility in the exchange rate. The RBI purchased foreign exchange on the net in 10 of the 12 months through June 2020, with the net intervention (both spot and forward intervention) reaching USD 64 billion, or 2.4 per cent of GDP. While purchases slowed during the onset of the pandemic, and the RBI engaged in net sales in March 2020, the RBI's net purchases again accelerated in mid-2020 as portfolio inflows resumed and foreign direct investment remained strong. "Rupee volatility did not appear to have been particularly elevated in the four quarters through June 2020, however. These purchases have led to a rapid rise in total reserves that are now well in excess of standard reserve adequacy benchmarks. As of June 2020, foreign currency reserves stood at USD 466 billion, equal to 4.4 times gross short-term external debt. Reserves have continued to grow in recent months, reaching USD502 billion in September 2020 as purchases accelerated further in July and August, it said. The Treasury said that Indian authorities should allow the exchange rate to move to reflect economic fundamentals and limit foreign exchange intervention to circumstances of disorderly market conditions. It said India can also leverage the recovery period to pursue structural reforms that will open its market further to foreign investment and trade, including foreign portfolio investment in Indian sovereign and sub-sovereign bonds, thereby fostering stronger long-term growth.

US adds India, Thailand and Taiwan to currency manipulation watchlist

The new satellite will enhance the country’s communication networks and aid in e-learning, tele-medicine, and disaster management services.

ISRO successfully launches CMS-01 satellite; Likely to boost Disaster management, net connectivity

Batting yet again for the Indo Pacific concept, India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that "Indo-Pacific is actually a bread-and-butter expression" of "our political, economic, connectivity, travel, and societal interests".

Speaking at a virtual event, EAM Jaishankar said, "Indo-Pacific is not tomorrow’s forecast but yesterday’s reality....This change actually reflects a regional manifestation of larger global trends."

Watch |&nbsp;

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His comments come even as globally the concept is being adopted and welcomed.&nbsp;

India, the US, Japan, and Australia have been the main supporter of it and just last year ASEAN came out with its outlook on it. Many European countries like France, Germany, and The Netherlands have enunciated their official policies, and just earlier this week, British foreign secretary Dominic Raab briefed the Indian side about London's "Indo Pacific tilt"

Defining the region encompassing the concept, he said it is a "maritime space that connects Africa, Asia, Eurasia’s Pacific Coast, Oceania, and the Pacific Coast of the Americas." About 50% of global trade traverses the region and is home to 64% of the world population and 62% of global GDP.

India has been increasing its engagement with countries in the region under initiatives such as Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI).

EAM said, "The IPOI is an inclusive and open initiative, seeking to better manage, conserve, sustain and secure the maritime domain. It does not envisage creating a new institutional framework and will rely on ASEAN-led EAS framework, though not necessarily limited to it"

Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) has 7 pillars and was proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the East Asia Summit in November 2019. Under the initiative, India and Australia will together host a conference on combating Marine Pollution &amp; Marine Plastic Debris which will bring together many countries of the region next year.

The EAM, interestingly raised the issue of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing saying, "IUU fishing in particular has emerged as an important issue and there is a need to address this through a regional framework of cooperation. India has undertaken to organize an EAS Conference in that regard."

When it comes to IUU fishing, it is the Chinese vessels that have been indulging in such activity, draining oceanic regions near Latin America to North Korea out of resources.

Batting yet again for the Indo Pacific concept, India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that "Indo-Pacific is actually a bread-and-butter expression" of "our political, economic, connectivity, travel, and societal interests".

Batting yet again for the Indo Pacific concept, India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that "Indo-Pacific is actually a bread-and-butter expression" of "our political, economic, connectivity, travel, and societal interests". Speaking at a virtual event, EAM Jaishankar said, "Indo-Pacific is not tomorrow’s forecast but yesterday’s reality....This change actually reflects a regional manifestation of larger global trends." Watch | His comments come even as globally the concept is being adopted and welcomed. India, the US, Japan, and Australia have been the main supporter of it and just last year ASEAN came out with its outlook on it. Many European countries like France, Germany, and The Netherlands have enunciated their official policies, and just earlier this week, British foreign secretary Dominic Raab briefed the Indian side about London's "Indo Pacific tilt" Defining the region encompassing the concept, he said it is a "maritime space that connects Africa, Asia, Eurasia’s Pacific Coast, Oceania, and the Pacific Coast of the Americas." About 50% of global trade traverses the region and is home to 64% of the world population and 62% of global GDP. India has been increasing its engagement with countries in the region under initiatives such as Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI). EAM said, "The IPOI is an inclusive and open initiative, seeking to better manage, conserve, sustain and secure the maritime domain. It does not envisage creating a new institutional framework and will rely on ASEAN-led EAS framework, though not necessarily limited to it" Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) has 7 pillars and was proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the East Asia Summit in November 2019. Under the initiative, India and Australia will together host a conference on combating Marine Pollution & Marine Plastic Debris which will bring together many countries of the region next year. The EAM, interestingly raised the issue of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing saying, "IUU fishing in particular has emerged as an important issue and there is a need to address this through a regional framework of cooperation. India has undertaken to organize an EAS Conference in that regard." When it comes to IUU fishing, it is the Chinese vessels that have been indulging in such activity, draining oceanic regions near Latin America to North Korea out of resources.

Indo-Pacific is a 'bread-and-butter expression' says EAM

A 29-year-old Indian entrepreneur is among the seven winners of the prestigious "Young Champions of the Earth" 2020 prize given by the UN environment agency to global change-makers using innovative ideas and ambitious action to help solve some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges.

Vidyut Mohan, an engineer, is the co-founder of "Takachar", a social enterprise enabling farmers to prevent open burning of their waste farm residues and earn extra income by converting them into value-added chemicals like activated carbon on-site, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a statement on Tuesday.

I've always been passionate about energy access and creating income opportunities for poor communities, Mohan was quoted as saying in the statement. (That) is at the heart of finding answers to the difficult question of balancing economic growth and climate change mitigation in developing countries, he said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a message that in the middle of a global pandemic, with societies struggling, economies stretched to their limits, and escalating biodiversity and climate crisis, we need to act boldly and urgently to repair our relationship with nature and take the path of sustainable development.&nbsp;

He said that the Young Champions of the Earth inspire and mobilise.

UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said globally, young people are leading the way in calling for meaningful and immediate solutions to the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

We must listen. As we enter this decisive decade where we work to cut emissions and protect and restore ecosystems, UNEP Young Champions demonstrate that all of us can contribute, starting where we are with what we have. Every single act for nature counts, and we need the entire spectrum of humanity to share this global responsibility and this profound opportunity, Andersen said.

Takachar buys rice husks, straw, and coconut shells from farmers and turns them into charcoal, saving the debris from the fires, which are also a driver of climate change. Since Takachar was launched in 2018, Mohan and its co-founder Kevin Kung have worked with about 4,500 farmers and processed 3,000 tonnes of crops, UNEP said.&nbsp;

Mark Radka, chief of the energy and climate branch at UNEP's Economy Division, said the open burning of agricultural residues is a big source of air pollution in many parts of the world and Takachar's innovative technology can help farmers turn what is currently thought of as waste into a valuable resource while helping clean up our environment. 
 
Slowly and gradually all funding streams available and support services are turning towards sustainability. Companies are going to lose if they don't become sustainable in the long run, Mohan, a 2019 Echoing Green Fellow and a 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 awardee, said.

By deploying small-scale, low-cost portable biomass upgrading equipment, Takachar enables rural farmers to earn 40 per cent more by converting their crop residues into fuels, fertilisers and value-added chemicals like activated carbon (AC) on-site.

By choosing activated carbon (AC) as the starting market, Takachar brings this value chain to the doorstep of farmers and hence reduces air pollution associated with crop residue burning, while ensuring a stable, renewable, pollution free and financially lucrative raw material supply for the AC industry vs. Traditional fossil based sources.

By 2030, Takachar will impact 300 million farmers affected by this problem, create USD 4 billion/year equivalent in additional rural income and jobs, and mitigate one gigaton/year of CO2 equivalent, UNEP added.

This year's Young Champions were selected by a global jury of experts following a competitive public nomination. Each will receive $10,000 in seed funding and tailored training to help scale up their ideas. The Young Champions of the Earth prize is awarded every year to seven entrepreneurs under the age of 30 with bold ideas for sustainable environmental change.

The other awardees are 29-year-old Nzambi Matee from Kenya, a materials engineer and head of Gjenge Makers, which produces sustainable low-cost construction materials made of recycled plastic waste and sand; 29-year old Xiaoyuan Ren from China who leads MyH2O, a data platform that tests and records the quality of groundwater across a thousand villages in rural China into an app so residents know where to find clean water.

Lefteris Arapakis, 26, from Greece founded the start-up Enaleia, through which the team trains, empowers and incentivises the local fishing community to collect plastic from the sea, allowing both fish stocks and the ecosystem to recover; 30-year old Max Hidalgo Quinto from Peru founded Yawa, building portable wind turbines that harvest up to 300 litres of water per day from atmospheric humidity and mist.

Niria Alicia Garcia, 28, from the US coordinates - alongside a community of indigenous activists - the annual Run 4 Salmon event using virtual reality to bring to life the historical journey of the Sacramento chinook salmon along California's largest watershed, raising awareness of this invaluable ecosystem, the species and people it supports; 24-year old Fatemah Alzelzela from Kuwait started Eco Star, a non-profit recycling initiative that exchanges trees and plants for waste from homes, schools and businesses in Kuwait.&nbsp;

A 29-year-old Indian entrepreneur is among the seven winners of the prestigious "Young Champions of the Earth" 2020 prize given by the UN environment agency to global change-makers using innovative ideas and ambitious action to help solve some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges.

A 29-year-old Indian entrepreneur is among the seven winners of the prestigious "Young Champions of the Earth" 2020 prize given by the UN environment agency to global change-makers using innovative ideas and ambitious action to help solve some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges. Vidyut Mohan, an engineer, is the co-founder of "Takachar", a social enterprise enabling farmers to prevent open burning of their waste farm residues and earn extra income by converting them into value-added chemicals like activated carbon on-site, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a statement on Tuesday. I've always been passionate about energy access and creating income opportunities for poor communities, Mohan was quoted as saying in the statement. (That) is at the heart of finding answers to the difficult question of balancing economic growth and climate change mitigation in developing countries, he said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a message that in the middle of a global pandemic, with societies struggling, economies stretched to their limits, and escalating biodiversity and climate crisis, we need to act boldly and urgently to repair our relationship with nature and take the path of sustainable development. He said that the Young Champions of the Earth inspire and mobilise. UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said globally, young people are leading the way in calling for meaningful and immediate solutions to the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. We must listen. As we enter this decisive decade where we work to cut emissions and protect and restore ecosystems, UNEP Young Champions demonstrate that all of us can contribute, starting where we are with what we have. Every single act for nature counts, and we need the entire spectrum of humanity to share this global responsibility and this profound opportunity, Andersen said. Takachar buys rice husks, straw, and coconut shells from farmers and turns them into charcoal, saving the debris from the fires, which are also a driver of climate change. Since Takachar was launched in 2018, Mohan and its co-founder Kevin Kung have worked with about 4,500 farmers and processed 3,000 tonnes of crops, UNEP said. Mark Radka, chief of the energy and climate branch at UNEP's Economy Division, said the open burning of agricultural residues is a big source of air pollution in many parts of the world and Takachar's innovative technology can help farmers turn what is currently thought of as waste into a valuable resource while helping clean up our environment. Slowly and gradually all funding streams available and support services are turning towards sustainability. Companies are going to lose if they don't become sustainable in the long run, Mohan, a 2019 Echoing Green Fellow and a 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 awardee, said. By deploying small-scale, low-cost portable biomass upgrading equipment, Takachar enables rural farmers to earn 40 per cent more by converting their crop residues into fuels, fertilisers and value-added chemicals like activated carbon (AC) on-site. By choosing activated carbon (AC) as the starting market, Takachar brings this value chain to the doorstep of farmers and hence reduces air pollution associated with crop residue burning, while ensuring a stable, renewable, pollution free and financially lucrative raw material supply for the AC industry vs. Traditional fossil based sources. By 2030, Takachar will impact 300 million farmers affected by this problem, create USD 4 billion/year equivalent in additional rural income and jobs, and mitigate one gigaton/year of CO2 equivalent, UNEP added. This year's Young Champions were selected by a global jury of experts following a competitive public nomination. Each will receive $10,000 in seed funding and tailored training to help scale up their ideas. The Young Champions of the Earth prize is awarded every year to seven entrepreneurs under the age of 30 with bold ideas for sustainable environmental change. The other awardees are 29-year-old Nzambi Matee from Kenya, a materials engineer and head of Gjenge Makers, which produces sustainable low-cost construction materials made of recycled plastic waste and sand; 29-year old Xiaoyuan Ren from China who leads MyH2O, a data platform that tests and records the quality of groundwater across a thousand villages in rural China into an app so residents know where to find clean water. Lefteris Arapakis, 26, from Greece founded the start-up Enaleia, through which the team trains, empowers and incentivises the local fishing community to collect plastic from the sea, allowing both fish stocks and the ecosystem to recover; 30-year old Max Hidalgo Quinto from Peru founded Yawa, building portable wind turbines that harvest up to 300 litres of water per day from atmospheric humidity and mist. Niria Alicia Garcia, 28, from the US coordinates - alongside a community of indigenous activists - the annual Run 4 Salmon event using virtual reality to bring to life the historical journey of the Sacramento chinook salmon along California's largest watershed, raising awareness of this invaluable ecosystem, the species and people it supports; 24-year old Fatemah Alzelzela from Kuwait started Eco Star, a non-profit recycling initiative that exchanges trees and plants for waste from homes, schools and businesses in Kuwait.

Indian entrepreneur named among 'Young Champions of the Earth' winners by UN environment agency

Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) on Thursday launched communication satellite CMS-01 carried by PSLV-C50 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

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Stunning glimpses of today's lift-off<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSLVC50?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSLVC50</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CMS01?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CMS01</a> <a href="https://t.co/28FLyOWLM5">pic.twitter.com/28FLyOWLM5</a>
— ISRO (@isro) <a href="https://twitter.com/isro/status/1339539726269726720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"PSLV-C50 successfully injected into orbit India's latest communication satellite CMS-01," ISRO said.

The communication satellite covers frequency spectrum nationwide including the Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSLVC50?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSLVC50</a> lifts off successfully from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISRO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ISRO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CMS01?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CMS01</a> <a href="https://t.co/9uCQIHIapo">pic.twitter.com/9uCQIHIapo</a>
— ISRO (@isro) <a href="https://twitter.com/isro/status/1339513955476070400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The satellite has a life span of seven years. It is ISRO's second successful launch this year.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISRO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ISRO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CMS01?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CMS01</a> 
Mission Director has authorised for the launch of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSLVC50?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSLVC50</a> 
 
Watch the launch live at<a href="https://t.co/G6sAdki5AD">https://t.co/G6sAdki5AD</a> <a href="https://t.co/u7OEQ8nEqy">pic.twitter.com/u7OEQ8nEqy</a>
— ISRO (@isro) <a href="https://twitter.com/isro/status/1339509861357297665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The satellite will boost India's internet connectivity and disaster management capability.&nbsp;

"As the 25-hour countdown, which began on Wednesday at 2.41 hours, concluded, the launch vehicle PSLV-C50 on its 52nd mission blasted off at 3.41 pm from the second launch pad at the spaceport", ISRO said.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) flawlessly put the communication satellite CMS-01 in orbit.

Earlier, ISRO had launched PSLV-C49 (EOS-01) earth observation satellite and nine private spacecraft in&nbsp;November. It was ISRO's first mission since the coronavirus crisis began in the country in March.

Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) on Thursday launched communication satellite CMS-01 carried by PSLV-C50 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) on Thursday launched communication satellite CMS-01 carried by PSLV-C50 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. Stunning glimpses of today's lift-off#PSLVC50 #CMS01 pic.twitter.com/28FLyOWLM5 — ISRO (@isro) December 17, 2020 × "PSLV-C50 successfully injected into orbit India's latest communication satellite CMS-01," ISRO said. The communication satellite covers frequency spectrum nationwide including the Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands. #PSLVC50 lifts off successfully from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota#ISRO #CMS01 pic.twitter.com/9uCQIHIapo — ISRO (@isro) December 17, 2020 × The satellite has a life span of seven years. It is ISRO's second successful launch this year. #ISRO #CMS01 Mission Director has authorised for the launch of #PSLVC50 Watch the launch live athttps://t.co/G6sAdki5AD pic.twitter.com/u7OEQ8nEqy — ISRO (@isro) December 17, 2020 × The satellite will boost India's internet connectivity and disaster management capability. "As the 25-hour countdown, which began on Wednesday at 2.41 hours, concluded, the launch vehicle PSLV-C50 on its 52nd mission blasted off at 3.41 pm from the second launch pad at the spaceport", ISRO said. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) flawlessly put the communication satellite CMS-01 in orbit. Earlier, ISRO had launched PSLV-C49 (EOS-01) earth observation satellite and nine private spacecraft in November. It was ISRO's first mission since the coronavirus crisis began in the country in March.

ISRO successfully launches PSLV-C50 rocket carrying communication satellite CMS-01 in orbit

Indian professionals are cautiously optimistic heading into 2021 as two in five Indian professionals expect an increase in the number of new jobs, LinkedIn year-end data shows.

LinkedIn on Thursday released a key survey and platform data for 2020. According to LinkedIn year-end data, India has remained cautiously optimistic and resilient in the face of uncertainty, and overall confidence scores remained steady between 50 and 57 from April to November.

As per the findings, two in five (40 per cent) Indian professionals expect an increase in the number of new jobs (up from 19 per cent in April), and one in two (53 per cent) expect their companies to do better in the next six months, going into 2021.

The workforce sentiment data and confidence scores are based on the online survey responses of 21,066 professionals from April to November 2020 as part of the LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Index, which is a fortnightly pulse on the confidence of the Indian workforce.

"The year 2020 was a disruptive year, and 2021 will help us tackle unforeseen challenges and prepare for new realities. Going forward, India will reimagine the future of work across five areas, specifically the workplace, careers, recruiting, business, and leadership styles," said Ashutosh Gupta, India Country Manager, Linkedin.

Gupta further noted that "in 2021, skills-first hiring will be a pivotal trend, the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) will play a critical role, the virtual collaboration will become stronger, and learning will be part of everyone's job. At LinkedIn, we will continue to help professionals navigate these changes and we will stay committed to helping members get closer to opportunities."

In 2020, online learning and digital skills took centre stage and Indian professionals pivoted to upskill themselves and stay productive.

LinkedIn data states that the average number of monthly learning hours on LinkedIn Learning increased 3X from April to December 2020, compared to pre-COVID months of January and February.

As per LinkedIn's year-end findings, three in five (57 per cent) professionals say they will increase their time spent in online learning going forward.

However, working in isolation and navigating a tough job market over the past few months has adversely affected India's emotional well-being and financial outlook.

As of November 2020, four in five (78 per cent) unemployed professionals feel stressed, and only one in three (32 per cent) Indians expect their incomes to increase, heading into the New Year.

This holiday season, three in five (61 per cent) Indian professionals said they will take less time off, while about nine in ten (87 per cent) said they will spend equal or more time working at their primary jobs this year-end, it noted.

Indian professionals are cautiously optimistic heading into 2021 as two in five Indian professionals expect an increase in the number of new jobs, LinkedIn year-end data shows.

Indian professionals are cautiously optimistic heading into 2021 as two in five Indian professionals expect an increase in the number of new jobs, LinkedIn year-end data shows. LinkedIn on Thursday released a key survey and platform data for 2020. According to LinkedIn year-end data, India has remained cautiously optimistic and resilient in the face of uncertainty, and overall confidence scores remained steady between 50 and 57 from April to November. As per the findings, two in five (40 per cent) Indian professionals expect an increase in the number of new jobs (up from 19 per cent in April), and one in two (53 per cent) expect their companies to do better in the next six months, going into 2021. The workforce sentiment data and confidence scores are based on the online survey responses of 21,066 professionals from April to November 2020 as part of the LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Index, which is a fortnightly pulse on the confidence of the Indian workforce. "The year 2020 was a disruptive year, and 2021 will help us tackle unforeseen challenges and prepare for new realities. Going forward, India will reimagine the future of work across five areas, specifically the workplace, careers, recruiting, business, and leadership styles," said Ashutosh Gupta, India Country Manager, Linkedin. Gupta further noted that "in 2021, skills-first hiring will be a pivotal trend, the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) will play a critical role, the virtual collaboration will become stronger, and learning will be part of everyone's job. At LinkedIn, we will continue to help professionals navigate these changes and we will stay committed to helping members get closer to opportunities." In 2020, online learning and digital skills took centre stage and Indian professionals pivoted to upskill themselves and stay productive. LinkedIn data states that the average number of monthly learning hours on LinkedIn Learning increased 3X from April to December 2020, compared to pre-COVID months of January and February. As per LinkedIn's year-end findings, three in five (57 per cent) professionals say they will increase their time spent in online learning going forward. However, working in isolation and navigating a tough job market over the past few months has adversely affected India's emotional well-being and financial outlook. As of November 2020, four in five (78 per cent) unemployed professionals feel stressed, and only one in three (32 per cent) Indians expect their incomes to increase, heading into the New Year. This holiday season, three in five (61 per cent) Indian professionals said they will take less time off, while about nine in ten (87 per cent) said they will spend equal or more time working at their primary jobs this year-end, it noted.

Indian professionals cautiously optimistic heading into 2021; 40% expect jobs to increase: LinkedIn

Two Pakistani intruders were killed by the Border Security Force (BSF) while they were trying to infiltrate into India at the Attari border in the wee hours of Thursday.&nbsp;

Narcotics substance and weapons have been recovered from the two infiltrators. The two were trying to cross the border in the fog near Attari border in Amritsar.&nbsp;

When warned, the militants opened fire on the BSF, prompting the Army to retaliate. They were killed in the firing from both sides.&nbsp;

Two AK-47s, a large quantity of ammunition and some packets of drugs were recovered from them. Currently, Punjab police and BSF are conducting a search operation in the entire area.

"Killing of armed Pakistani intruders: Alert troops of BOP Rajatal, 71 Bn BSF, and detected suspicious movement ahead of fence within Indian territory. In the ensuing firing, BSF troops shot dead 02 armed Pak intruders," BSF Punjab tweeted.

Last week, drone movement was noticed at the international border in Ranbir Singh Pura sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The BSF had said the drone went back after the troops fired at it.

Amid these developments at the border areas, jawans on the border are keeping strict vigil.

(With inputs from agencies)

Two Pakistani intruders were killed by the Border Security Force (BSF) while they were trying to infiltrate into India at the Attari border in the wee hours of Thursday.

Two Pakistani intruders were killed by the Border Security Force (BSF) while they were trying to infiltrate into India at the Attari border in the wee hours of Thursday. Narcotics substance and weapons have been recovered from the two infiltrators. The two were trying to cross the border in the fog near Attari border in Amritsar. When warned, the militants opened fire on the BSF, prompting the Army to retaliate. They were killed in the firing from both sides. Two AK-47s, a large quantity of ammunition and some packets of drugs were recovered from them. Currently, Punjab police and BSF are conducting a search operation in the entire area. "Killing of armed Pakistani intruders: Alert troops of BOP Rajatal, 71 Bn BSF, and detected suspicious movement ahead of fence within Indian territory. In the ensuing firing, BSF troops shot dead 02 armed Pak intruders," BSF Punjab tweeted. Last week, drone movement was noticed at the international border in Ranbir Singh Pura sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The BSF had said the drone went back after the troops fired at it. Amid these developments at the border areas, jawans on the border are keeping strict vigil. (With inputs from agencies)

Two Pakistani intruders killed near Attari Border: BSF 

India reported 24,010 new cases in a matter of 24 hours taking the total tally over 99.5 lakh in the world’s second-worst infected nation, according to the Health Ministry.&nbsp;

That includes over 94.8 lakh recoveries and more than 1.44 lakh deaths. At over 33,000, daily recoveries continued to surpass new cases for over two weeks now.&nbsp;

New infections continue to decline in India, in a sign of improving conditions, at a time when the country is weeks away from a vaccine.

Active cases have now fallen below the 3.3 lakh mark. This is the fourth straight day of less than 30,000 new Covid-19 cases reported within 24 hours.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 15,78,05,240 samples have been tested up to December 15, of which 11,58,960 were conducted on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Union Health Ministry said, five states - Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Kerala and Maharashtra - account for 56% of total active cases of COVID-19 in the country.

Meanwhile, A top World Health Organization (WHO) official has called for greater vigilance amid the roll-out of a Covid-19 vaccine, saying the vaccine is not a "silver bullet" that will end the nearly year-long pandemic which has infected over 74 million people across the globe and killed more than 1.64 million others.

(With inputs from agencies)

India reported 24,010 new cases in a matter of 24 hours taking the total tally over 99.5 lakh in the world’s second-worst infected nation, according to the Health Ministry.

India reported 24,010 new cases in a matter of 24 hours taking the total tally over 99.5 lakh in the world’s second-worst infected nation, according to the Health Ministry. That includes over 94.8 lakh recoveries and more than 1.44 lakh deaths. At over 33,000, daily recoveries continued to surpass new cases for over two weeks now. New infections continue to decline in India, in a sign of improving conditions, at a time when the country is weeks away from a vaccine. Active cases have now fallen below the 3.3 lakh mark. This is the fourth straight day of less than 30,000 new Covid-19 cases reported within 24 hours. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 15,78,05,240 samples have been tested up to December 15, of which 11,58,960 were conducted on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Union Health Ministry said, five states - Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Kerala and Maharashtra - account for 56% of total active cases of COVID-19 in the country. Meanwhile, A top World Health Organization (WHO) official has called for greater vigilance amid the roll-out of a Covid-19 vaccine, saying the vaccine is not a "silver bullet" that will end the nearly year-long pandemic which has infected over 74 million people across the globe and killed more than 1.64 million others. (With inputs from agencies)

India's coronavirus tally rises to 99.50 lakh with 24,009 new cases in 24 hours

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed a virtual summit with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina. At the virtual summit, PM Modi said that ever since taking office, it has been his priority to strengthen and deepen the relationship between India and Bangladesh.

India and Bangladesh also sealed seven agreements to expand cooperation in diverse areas and restored a cross-border rail link which was in operation till 1965.

The restoration of the Chilahati-Haldibari railway link and signing of the pacts, providing for cooperation in areas of hydrocarbons, agriculture and textiles among others, came at a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.

Modi and Hasina also jointly inaugurated a digital exhibition on Bangladesh's founder Mujibur Rahman and Mahatma Gandhi in an effort to celebrate the life and legacies of the two iconic leaders.

The inauguration of the Chilahati-Haldibari rail link is expected to enhance connectivity to Assam and West Bengal from Bangladesh. It was part of the broad gauge main route from Kolkata to Siliguri till 1965.

In his initial remarks, Modi said Bangladesh is a key pillar of India's “Neighbourhood First” policy and it has been a key priority for him to strengthen ties between the two countries.

"We feel proud to celebrate 'Bijoy Dibosh' with you to mark Bangladesh's historic victory over anti-liberation forces," he said, adding cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been good notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic.

In her statement, Hasina described India as a "true friend".

The ties between India and Bangladesh have witnessed an upswing in the last few years. Both sides have scaled up trade and economic engagement besides implementing a number of connectivity and infrastructure projects.

(With inputs from agencies)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed a virtual summit with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina. At the virtual summit, PM Modi said that ever since taking office, it has been his priority to strengthen and deepen the relationship between India and Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed a virtual summit with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina. At the virtual summit, PM Modi said that ever since taking office, it has been his priority to strengthen and deepen the relationship between India and Bangladesh. India and Bangladesh also sealed seven agreements to expand cooperation in diverse areas and restored a cross-border rail link which was in operation till 1965. The restoration of the Chilahati-Haldibari railway link and signing of the pacts, providing for cooperation in areas of hydrocarbons, agriculture and textiles among others, came at a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina. Modi and Hasina also jointly inaugurated a digital exhibition on Bangladesh's founder Mujibur Rahman and Mahatma Gandhi in an effort to celebrate the life and legacies of the two iconic leaders. The inauguration of the Chilahati-Haldibari rail link is expected to enhance connectivity to Assam and West Bengal from Bangladesh. It was part of the broad gauge main route from Kolkata to Siliguri till 1965. In his initial remarks, Modi said Bangladesh is a key pillar of India's “Neighbourhood First” policy and it has been a key priority for him to strengthen ties between the two countries. "We feel proud to celebrate 'Bijoy Dibosh' with you to mark Bangladesh's historic victory over anti-liberation forces," he said, adding cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been good notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic. In her statement, Hasina described India as a "true friend". The ties between India and Bangladesh have witnessed an upswing in the last few years. Both sides have scaled up trade and economic engagement besides implementing a number of connectivity and infrastructure projects. (With inputs from agencies)

PM Modi-Sheikh Hasina meet: India, Bangladesh ink 7 pacts; restore the cross-border rail link

In a virtual conference with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina, Indian PM &nbsp;Modi today said that Bangladesh continues to be one of the significant pillars of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.

"Bangladesh is a significant pillar of our `Neighbourhood First` policy. To strengthen and deepen our relations with Bangladesh has been a priority for me since the first day. It is true that because of the pandemic, this year has been challenging but in these challenging times, the relations between the two countries, have seen immense cooperation," PM Modi said.

The summit is being held a day after Vijay Diwas, marking India`s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh.

"It is an honour for us to celebrate Bangladesh`s victory against the anti-liberation forces with you. When Bangladesh is celebrating 50 years of Independence, I would want to pay tribute to the martyrs of both nations, who sacrificed their lives," PM Modi added.

Prime Minister Modi also thanked the Bangladeshi Prime Minister for inviting him for a visit to the nation next year where he said that "it would be an honour" to pay tribute "to the martyrs".

India and Bangladesh have continued to maintain regular exchanges at the highest level with Bangladesh Prime Minister paying an official visit to India in October 2019. Prime Minister Modi had delivered a video message on the historic occasion of Mujib Borsho in March 2020.&nbsp;

Both leaders have remained in regular touch during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bangladesh is commemorating the year 2020 as Mujib Borsho - the birth centenary of the father of the nation of Bangladesh - Sheikh Mujibur Rahman popularly known as Bangabandhu.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a virtual conference with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina, Indian PM Modi today said that Bangladesh continues to be one of the significant pillars of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.

In a virtual conference with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina, Indian PM Modi today said that Bangladesh continues to be one of the significant pillars of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. "Bangladesh is a significant pillar of our `Neighbourhood First` policy. To strengthen and deepen our relations with Bangladesh has been a priority for me since the first day. It is true that because of the pandemic, this year has been challenging but in these challenging times, the relations between the two countries, have seen immense cooperation," PM Modi said. The summit is being held a day after Vijay Diwas, marking India`s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh. "It is an honour for us to celebrate Bangladesh`s victory against the anti-liberation forces with you. When Bangladesh is celebrating 50 years of Independence, I would want to pay tribute to the martyrs of both nations, who sacrificed their lives," PM Modi added. Prime Minister Modi also thanked the Bangladeshi Prime Minister for inviting him for a visit to the nation next year where he said that "it would be an honour" to pay tribute "to the martyrs". India and Bangladesh have continued to maintain regular exchanges at the highest level with Bangladesh Prime Minister paying an official visit to India in October 2019. Prime Minister Modi had delivered a video message on the historic occasion of Mujib Borsho in March 2020. Both leaders have remained in regular touch during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bangladesh is commemorating the year 2020 as Mujib Borsho - the birth centenary of the father of the nation of Bangladesh - Sheikh Mujibur Rahman popularly known as Bangabandhu. (With inputs from agencies)

Bangladesh significant pillar of India’s neighbourhood first policy: PM Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundations Tuesday for what he said would be the world's largest renewable energy park, set to produce a massive 30 gigawatts of electricity.

The vast project in the Kutch region of western Gujarat state spread over&nbsp;an area of 72,600 hectares (180,000 acres) — the size of Singapore&nbsp;— will contain solar panels, solar energy storage units and windmills.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ahead-of-pm-johnsons-visit-dominic-raab-jaishankar-seek-to-deepen-india-uk-ties-349926" hreflang="en">Ahead of PM Johnson's visit, Dominic Raab, Jaishankar seek to deepen India, UK ties</a>

"The hybrid renewable energy park will be largest in the world and generate 30,000 megawatts of power," Modi said as he inaugurated the energy park as well as an adjacent desalination plant.

"Energy security and water security are vital in the 21st century," Modi said. "The two major projects of the renewable energy park and the desalination plant inaugurated today in Kutch are steps towards achieving the two."

The energy project in Modi's home state will account for a large chunk of India's ambitious target of generating 175 GW in renewable energy by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-pays-tribute-to-sardar-patel-on-his-death-anniversary-349834" hreflang="en">PM Modi pays tribute to Sardar Patel on his death anniversary</a>

Modi, 70, said it would also help the world's second-most populous country reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by up to 50 million tonnes per year.

The desalination plant will be able to process 100 million litres of water a day for 800,000 people living in the arid region bordering Pakistan.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundations Tuesday for what he said would be the world's largest renewable energy park, set to produce a massive 30 gigawatts of electricity.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundations Tuesday for what he said would be the world's largest renewable energy park, set to produce a massive 30 gigawatts of electricity. The vast project in the Kutch region of western Gujarat state spread over an area of 72,600 hectares (180,000 acres) — the size of Singapore — will contain solar panels, solar energy storage units and windmills. Also read| Ahead of PM Johnson's visit, Dominic Raab, Jaishankar seek to deepen India, UK ties "The hybrid renewable energy park will be largest in the world and generate 30,000 megawatts of power," Modi said as he inaugurated the energy park as well as an adjacent desalination plant. "Energy security and water security are vital in the 21st century," Modi said. "The two major projects of the renewable energy park and the desalination plant inaugurated today in Kutch are steps towards achieving the two." The energy project in Modi's home state will account for a large chunk of India's ambitious target of generating 175 GW in renewable energy by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030. Also read| PM Modi pays tribute to Sardar Patel on his death anniversary Modi, 70, said it would also help the world's second-most populous country reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by up to 50 million tonnes per year. The desalination plant will be able to process 100 million litres of water a day for 800,000 people living in the arid region bordering Pakistan.

PM Modi lays foundations for renewable energy megapark

The interim findings of phase 1 clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the ICMR, showed that it was was well tolerated in all dose groups with no serious or adverse events.

The vaccine induced robust binding and neutralising antibody responses which were comparable to those observed in the convalescent serum collected from patients who had recovered from COVID-19, according to the findings which have appeared on medRxiv, a preprint server.

A preprint is a version of a scientific manuscript posted on a public server prior to formal peer review. One serious adverse event was reported, which was found to be unrelated to vaccination, the findings showed.

It was a double-blind randomised controlled phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of Covaxin (BBV152).

The document mentions that BBV152 is stored between 2 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees Celsius, which is compatible with all national immunisation programme cold chain requirements and further efficacy trials are underway.

According to the "A Phase 1: Safety and Immunogenicity Trial of an Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine BBV152", after the first vaccination, local and systemic adverse events were predominantly mild or moderate in severity and resolved rapidly, without any prescribed medication.

A similar trend was observed after the second shot was administered. Pain at the injection site was the most common local adverse event.

"One serious adverse event was reported. The participant was vaccinated on July 30. Five days later, the participant reported symptoms of COVID-19 and was found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2," according to the findings.

"The symptoms were mild in nature, but the patient was admitted to the hospital on August 15. The participant was discharged on August 22 following a negative nucleic acid result. The event was not causally associated with the vaccine," the findings showed.

To ensure generalisability, the trial was conducted on volunteers from diverse geographic locations and socioeconomic conditions, enrolling 375 participants across 11 hospitals.

"Despite the fact that enrolment occurred during a national lockdown, which led to several operational challenges, the overall participant retention rate was 97 per cent," the findings showed.

The sample size was intentionally large to enable the inference of meaningful conclusions regarding immunogenicity and safety, the document said.

BBV152 induced robust binding and neutralising antibody responses that were similar to those induced by other SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine candidates, it said.

Two doses of the vaccine were administered at a volume of 0.5 mL/dose intramuscularly on days zero and 14. The follow-up visits were scheduled on days 7, 28, 42, 104, and 194.

The interim findings of phase 1 clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the ICMR, showed that it was was well tolerated in all dose groups with no serious or adverse events.

The interim findings of phase 1 clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the ICMR, showed that it was was well tolerated in all dose groups with no serious or adverse events. The vaccine induced robust binding and neutralising antibody responses which were comparable to those observed in the convalescent serum collected from patients who had recovered from COVID-19, according to the findings which have appeared on medRxiv, a preprint server. A preprint is a version of a scientific manuscript posted on a public server prior to formal peer review. One serious adverse event was reported, which was found to be unrelated to vaccination, the findings showed. It was a double-blind randomised controlled phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of Covaxin (BBV152). The document mentions that BBV152 is stored between 2 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees Celsius, which is compatible with all national immunisation programme cold chain requirements and further efficacy trials are underway. According to the "A Phase 1: Safety and Immunogenicity Trial of an Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine BBV152", after the first vaccination, local and systemic adverse events were predominantly mild or moderate in severity and resolved rapidly, without any prescribed medication. A similar trend was observed after the second shot was administered. Pain at the injection site was the most common local adverse event. "One serious adverse event was reported. The participant was vaccinated on July 30. Five days later, the participant reported symptoms of COVID-19 and was found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2," according to the findings. "The symptoms were mild in nature, but the patient was admitted to the hospital on August 15. The participant was discharged on August 22 following a negative nucleic acid result. The event was not causally associated with the vaccine," the findings showed. To ensure generalisability, the trial was conducted on volunteers from diverse geographic locations and socioeconomic conditions, enrolling 375 participants across 11 hospitals. "Despite the fact that enrolment occurred during a national lockdown, which led to several operational challenges, the overall participant retention rate was 97 per cent," the findings showed. The sample size was intentionally large to enable the inference of meaningful conclusions regarding immunogenicity and safety, the document said. BBV152 induced robust binding and neutralising antibody responses that were similar to those induced by other SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine candidates, it said. Two doses of the vaccine were administered at a volume of 0.5 mL/dose intramuscularly on days zero and 14. The follow-up visits were scheduled on days 7, 28, 42, 104, and 194.

Bharat Biotech's phase 1 trial findings show COVID-19 vaccine well tolerated; no serious adverse events

Connectivity and paying tributes to Bangladesh's father of the nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the centenary birth anniversary celebration will be the top focus areas of Indian PM Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina's virtual summit on Thursday.&nbsp;

On connectivity, the opening of the Haldibari-Chilahati rail link connecting Bangladesh with the Indian state of West Bengal will be the major outcome of the meet. The route will also connect Assam with Bangladesh and expectedly increase connectivity and economic development in the region help in the movement of cargo.&nbsp;

With the opening of the rail link, five out of pre-1965 six rail links between the two countries will be revived. The Haldibari-Chilahati rail link was part of the broad gauge main route from Kolkata to Siliguri. &nbsp;The other four rail links are Petrapole (India) - Benapole (Bangladesh), Gede (India) – Darshana (Bangladesh), Singhabad (India)-Rohanpur (Bangladesh) and Radhikapur (India)–Birol (Bangladesh).&nbsp;

Both sides are working on Agartala and Akhaura rail link which will open next year. Amid the pandemic, a transport air bubble was also opened to facilitate the movement of travellers on both sides, especially of medical travellers. Earlier this year, as part of increasing connectivity via waterways, trial runs on Sonamura – Daudkandi and Daudkandi – Sonamura route was started.

Both PMs will jointly inaugurate a commemorative stamp on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Bangladesh is celebrating Mujib Borsho, the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who led the freedom movement for the country against Pakistan rule. India's department of the post has issued 500,000 stamps, 3,0750 first day covers and 25,610 brochures on Bangabandhu.

As part of the increased common connection, both sides will open a Bangabandhu-Bapu digital exhibition. The exhibition will be displayed in New Delhi, followed by Bangladesh, United Nations, and would finally culminate at Kolkata in early 2022. While it will provide details on both the leaders, it will have a 360-degree view of some of the historic locations and a robotic signature of Bangabandhu and Bapu. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Connectivity and paying tributes to Bangladesh's father of the nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the centenary birth anniversary celebration will be the top focus areas of Indian PM Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina's virtual summit on Thursday.

Connectivity and paying tributes to Bangladesh's father of the nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the centenary birth anniversary celebration will be the top focus areas of Indian PM Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina's virtual summit on Thursday. On connectivity, the opening of the Haldibari-Chilahati rail link connecting Bangladesh with the Indian state of West Bengal will be the major outcome of the meet. The route will also connect Assam with Bangladesh and expectedly increase connectivity and economic development in the region help in the movement of cargo. With the opening of the rail link, five out of pre-1965 six rail links between the two countries will be revived. The Haldibari-Chilahati rail link was part of the broad gauge main route from Kolkata to Siliguri. The other four rail links are Petrapole (India) - Benapole (Bangladesh), Gede (India) – Darshana (Bangladesh), Singhabad (India)-Rohanpur (Bangladesh) and Radhikapur (India)–Birol (Bangladesh). Both sides are working on Agartala and Akhaura rail link which will open next year. Amid the pandemic, a transport air bubble was also opened to facilitate the movement of travellers on both sides, especially of medical travellers. Earlier this year, as part of increasing connectivity via waterways, trial runs on Sonamura – Daudkandi and Daudkandi – Sonamura route was started. Both PMs will jointly inaugurate a commemorative stamp on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Bangladesh is celebrating Mujib Borsho, the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who led the freedom movement for the country against Pakistan rule. India's department of the post has issued 500,000 stamps, 3,0750 first day covers and 25,610 brochures on Bangabandhu. As part of the increased common connection, both sides will open a Bangabandhu-Bapu digital exhibition. The exhibition will be displayed in New Delhi, followed by Bangladesh, United Nations, and would finally culminate at Kolkata in early 2022. While it will provide details on both the leaders, it will have a 360-degree view of some of the historic locations and a robotic signature of Bangabandhu and Bapu.

Connectivity, Bangabandhu-Bapu link top focus during PM Modi, Sheikh Hasina virtual summit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his meeting with the visiting UK Foreign secretary Dominic Raab on Wednesday called for an "ambitious and outcome-oriented 360-degree roadmap" as part of the 10-year plan. The roadmap will focus on collaboration in all sectors--from defense to trade to education to energy to climate.

The Indian PM stressed on an&nbsp;India-UK partnership in a post-Covid world even as both sides announced a new virtual hub on the covid vaccine. On his part, the UK Foreign secretary "signalled his ambition for a closer UK-India relationship as part of a wider UK focus on our partnerships in the Indo-Pacific", a statement by UK foreign office said.

The virtual hub that has been announced will have experts from both countries sharing best practices, regulatory approvals, efficient distribution of vaccines, and clinical trials. When it comes to the Covid crisis, India's Serum Institute will be producing over a billion doses of the&nbsp;vaccine developed by&nbsp;UK's Oxford University and AstraZeneca. The UK Foreign secretary during his 2nd day of 4 day-long India visit went to a Delhi health clinic where Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines will be administered.

The Foreign Secretary&nbsp;said, "A global pandemic requires a global solution. Scientific cooperation has made breakthroughs on coronavirus vaccines at record-breaking pace and the UK-India Vaccine Hub will now build on these innovations, to bring this crisis to an end and protect us all against future pandemics."

A million doses of vaccines made by India's Serum Institute will be distributed across the world under the global COVAX initiative, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Gavi, the vaccine alliance. Amid the pandemic, India has been able to reaffirm its position as the pharmacy of the world and while it supplies 50% of the world's vaccine, it supplies 25% of the UK's National health service's generic drugs.

The FS also met as India's Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal and called India’s National Education Policy 2020 as visionary. Both sides are working on an agreement for mutual recognition of academic qualifications that will help in the internationalization of India's higher education. An agreement has been signed between the University of Edinburgh and Gujarat to open a new biotechnology university in Gujarat in July 2021.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his meeting with the visiting UK Foreign secretary Dominic Raab on Wednesday called for an "ambitious and outcome-oriented 360-degree roadmap" as part of the 10-year plan.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his meeting with the visiting UK Foreign secretary Dominic Raab on Wednesday called for an "ambitious and outcome-oriented 360-degree roadmap" as part of the 10-year plan. The roadmap will focus on collaboration in all sectors--from defense to trade to education to energy to climate. The Indian PM stressed on an India-UK partnership in a post-Covid world even as both sides announced a new virtual hub on the covid vaccine. On his part, the UK Foreign secretary "signalled his ambition for a closer UK-India relationship as part of a wider UK focus on our partnerships in the Indo-Pacific", a statement by UK foreign office said. The virtual hub that has been announced will have experts from both countries sharing best practices, regulatory approvals, efficient distribution of vaccines, and clinical trials. When it comes to the Covid crisis, India's Serum Institute will be producing over a billion doses of the vaccine developed by UK's Oxford University and AstraZeneca. The UK Foreign secretary during his 2nd day of 4 day-long India visit went to a Delhi health clinic where Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines will be administered. The Foreign Secretary said, "A global pandemic requires a global solution. Scientific cooperation has made breakthroughs on coronavirus vaccines at record-breaking pace and the UK-India Vaccine Hub will now build on these innovations, to bring this crisis to an end and protect us all against future pandemics." A million doses of vaccines made by India's Serum Institute will be distributed across the world under the global COVAX initiative, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Gavi, the vaccine alliance. Amid the pandemic, India has been able to reaffirm its position as the pharmacy of the world and while it supplies 50% of the world's vaccine, it supplies 25% of the UK's National health service's generic drugs. The FS also met as India's Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal and called India’s National Education Policy 2020 as visionary. Both sides are working on an agreement for mutual recognition of academic qualifications that will help in the internationalization of India's higher education. An agreement has been signed between the University of Edinburgh and Gujarat to open a new biotechnology university in Gujarat in July 2021.

PM Modi calls for outcome oriented roadmap with UK, virtual vaccine hub announced

The under-construction Ram temple in Ayodhya will be strong enough to withstand earthquakes or even if the Saryu river changes course.

All technical experts including IIT engineers are busy brainstorming to boost the temple construction, which is said to be 1,000 years old. Champat Rai, General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, told IANS on Wednesday that all the homework is being done for the construction of the temple.

As Ayodhya is situated on the banks of Saryu river, when the remains of the temple were excavated, crumbly sand emerged creating a challenge for laying the foundation. Asked about this, Rai said, "This challenge has been accepted by the Indian engineers. The river has a bank and the river may change course. Earthquakes may occur in the future. Below is the crumbly sand. Taking all these things seriously, experts are preparing for strong construction."

Rai said, "Sand has been found up to 60 metres below the proposed site for construction of the temple. We have also asked for photos from ISRO. It has been revealed that Saryu river has changed direction five times. The river may change direction in the next 500 years also. The temple construction committee is taking all these things into account."

Rai said, "There was brainstorming of experts on this subject. It has been decided that the way a dam wall is built, that method should be adopted for the construction of the temple foundation."

"Engineers at IIT-Bombay, Delhi, Chennai, and Guwahati, experts from Larsen &amp; Toubro and Tata are working on drawing up a strong foundation for the temple. We expect the foundation to be built in the next 2-3 days. The map will also be ready."

The Ram temple will be constructed with stones. The height of each floor will be 20 feet, length 360 feet and width 235 feet. The construction work is under the supervision of Nripendra Mishra, former Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Rai, who is also vice-president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, told IANS that a grand Ram temple would be completed in Ayodhya in the next three years. The map of the temple will be wider than the old map, because now more land is available.

The under-construction Ram temple in Ayodhya will be strong enough to withstand earthquakes or even if the Saryu river changes course. All technical experts including IIT engineers are busy brainstorming to boost the temple construction, which is said to be 1,000 years old.

The under-construction Ram temple in Ayodhya will be strong enough to withstand earthquakes or even if the Saryu river changes course. All technical experts including IIT engineers are busy brainstorming to boost the temple construction, which is said to be 1,000 years old. Champat Rai, General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, told IANS on Wednesday that all the homework is being done for the construction of the temple. As Ayodhya is situated on the banks of Saryu river, when the remains of the temple were excavated, crumbly sand emerged creating a challenge for laying the foundation. Asked about this, Rai said, "This challenge has been accepted by the Indian engineers. The river has a bank and the river may change course. Earthquakes may occur in the future. Below is the crumbly sand. Taking all these things seriously, experts are preparing for strong construction." Rai said, "Sand has been found up to 60 metres below the proposed site for construction of the temple. We have also asked for photos from ISRO. It has been revealed that Saryu river has changed direction five times. The river may change direction in the next 500 years also. The temple construction committee is taking all these things into account." Rai said, "There was brainstorming of experts on this subject. It has been decided that the way a dam wall is built, that method should be adopted for the construction of the temple foundation." "Engineers at IIT-Bombay, Delhi, Chennai, and Guwahati, experts from Larsen & Toubro and Tata are working on drawing up a strong foundation for the temple. We expect the foundation to be built in the next 2-3 days. The map will also be ready." The Ram temple will be constructed with stones. The height of each floor will be 20 feet, length 360 feet and width 235 feet. The construction work is under the supervision of Nripendra Mishra, former Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rai, who is also vice-president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, told IANS that a grand Ram temple would be completed in Ayodhya in the next three years. The map of the temple will be wider than the old map, because now more land is available.

'Ram temple to be built to withstand quakes, even if Saryu changes course'

Amid the India-China standoff&nbsp;along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh,&nbsp;the Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a proposal to secure telecom infrastructure by designating a "trusted source" for the purchase of equipment by service providers.

Under the provisions of this directive, the government will declare a list of trusted sources and trusted products for installation in the country's telecom network.

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"The methodology to designate trusted products will be devised by the designated authority, the National Cyber Security Coordinator. Telecom service providers are required to connect new devices that are designated trusted products," Law and Telecoms Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad&nbsp;told a news conference on Wednesday.

While Prasad did not name any company or country from which sourcing of equipment would not be allowed, some Indian government officials have privately expressed concerns over mobile carriers' use of telecom gear from Huawei, which the United States has accused of spying for China.

He added that the&nbsp;step has been taken to strengthen national security and further Atmanirbhar Bharat objectives including through the involvement of all stakeholders within government and in the private sector.

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China and India have been locked in a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May this year. Several rounds of talks between the two countries to resolve the standoff have not yielded any concrete outcome.

"The list of the trusted source and product will be decided based on approval of a committee headed by the deputy national security advisor. The committee will consist of members from relevant departments, ministries and will also have two members from the industry and independent experts. The committee will be called the National Security Committee on Telecom," Prasad said.

The government will also create a list of designated sources from whom no procurement can be done.

"The present directive does not envisage mandatory replacement of the existing equipment already inducted in the network of TSPs," the minister said.

Huawei has previously denied spying allegations and said it is open to a "no backdoor" agreement with India to allay security concerns.

India has so far not banned Huawei or ZTE, and its telecoms department did not immediately respond to a request asking if the policy was aimed at Chinese gearmakers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has told two state-run telecoms firms to use locally-made rather than Chinese telecom equipment to upgrade their mobile networks to 4G.

India&nbsp;will auction 2,251 megahertz (MHz) of airwaves worth over 3.92 trillion rupees ($53.2 billion) across seven bands ranging from 700 MHz to 2500 MHz.

Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, who controls India's biggest carrier Jio, has already said his company is looking to launch 5G services in the country in the second half of 2021.

Last year, the government banned imports of Chinese handsets without the International Mobile Equipment Identity, or IMEI, number, again citing security reasons such as the use of stolen handsets to make terror or hoax calls.

The IMEI number of a mobile phone is a 15-digit number unique to every mobile handset. It prevents stolen handsets from making calls and allows security agencies to track down a specific user.

Amid the India-China standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, the Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a proposal to secure telecom infrastructure by designating a "trusted source" for the purchase of equipment by service providers.

Amid the India-China standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, the Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a proposal to secure telecom infrastructure by designating a "trusted source" for the purchase of equipment by service providers. Under the provisions of this directive, the government will declare a list of trusted sources and trusted products for installation in the country's telecom network. Also see: India-China standoff- How Indian Army is preparing to take on China's PLA in Ladakh's snow clad mountains "The methodology to designate trusted products will be devised by the designated authority, the National Cyber Security Coordinator. Telecom service providers are required to connect new devices that are designated trusted products," Law and Telecoms Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told a news conference on Wednesday. While Prasad did not name any company or country from which sourcing of equipment would not be allowed, some Indian government officials have privately expressed concerns over mobile carriers' use of telecom gear from Huawei, which the United States has accused of spying for China. He added that the step has been taken to strengthen national security and further Atmanirbhar Bharat objectives including through the involvement of all stakeholders within government and in the private sector. Also read: US Congress passes bill that calls out Chinese aggression against India China and India have been locked in a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May this year. Several rounds of talks between the two countries to resolve the standoff have not yielded any concrete outcome. "The list of the trusted source and product will be decided based on approval of a committee headed by the deputy national security advisor. The committee will consist of members from relevant departments, ministries and will also have two members from the industry and independent experts. The committee will be called the National Security Committee on Telecom," Prasad said. The government will also create a list of designated sources from whom no procurement can be done. "The present directive does not envisage mandatory replacement of the existing equipment already inducted in the network of TSPs," the minister said. Huawei has previously denied spying allegations and said it is open to a "no backdoor" agreement with India to allay security concerns. India has so far not banned Huawei or ZTE, and its telecoms department did not immediately respond to a request asking if the policy was aimed at Chinese gearmakers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has told two state-run telecoms firms to use locally-made rather than Chinese telecom equipment to upgrade their mobile networks to 4G. India will auction 2,251 megahertz (MHz) of airwaves worth over 3.92 trillion rupees ($53.2 billion) across seven bands ranging from 700 MHz to 2500 MHz. Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, who controls India's biggest carrier Jio, has already said his company is looking to launch 5G services in the country in the second half of 2021. Last year, the government banned imports of Chinese handsets without the International Mobile Equipment Identity, or IMEI, number, again citing security reasons such as the use of stolen handsets to make terror or hoax calls. The IMEI number of a mobile phone is a 15-digit number unique to every mobile handset. It prevents stolen handsets from making calls and allows security agencies to track down a specific user.

India-China standoff: Cabinet approves buying telecom equipment only from 'trusted' sources

Coronavirus lockdown was hard on everyone. Some found ways to spend the period constructively but there are few who took it to another level. SN Lakshmi Sai Sri from Tamil Nadu is one of those few. The girl learnt how to cook during the lockdown and now has made a world record.

She cooked 46 dishes in 58 minutes on Tuesday (December 15) to earn a place in UNICO Book of World Records.

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Tamil Nadu: A girl entered UNICO Book Of World Records by cooking 46 dishes in 58 minutes in Chennai yesterday. SN Lakshmi Sai Sri said, "I learnt cooking from my mother. I am very happy". <a href="https://t.co/AmZ60HWvYX">pic.twitter.com/AmZ60HWvYX</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1338980785139769346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Lakshmi's mother said that she taught her to cook during the lockdown and she did really well. Looking at her daughter's progress and interest in cooking, her father suggested that Lakshmi should try to set a record.

As per her father's information, previous such record was held by a 10-year-old girl from Kerala who had cooked 30 dishes in under an hour.

As she cooked 46 dishes in 58 minutes, Lakshmi broke the previous record and set a new one. 
&nbsp;

Coronavirus lockdown was hard on everyone. Some found ways to spend the period constructively but there are few who took it to another level. SN Lakshmi Sai Sri from Tamil Nadu is one of those few.

Coronavirus lockdown was hard on everyone. Some found ways to spend the period constructively but there are few who took it to another level. SN Lakshmi Sai Sri from Tamil Nadu is one of those few. The girl learnt how to cook during the lockdown and now has made a world record. She cooked 46 dishes in 58 minutes on Tuesday (December 15) to earn a place in UNICO Book of World Records. Tamil Nadu: A girl entered UNICO Book Of World Records by cooking 46 dishes in 58 minutes in Chennai yesterday. SN Lakshmi Sai Sri said, "I learnt cooking from my mother. I am very happy". pic.twitter.com/AmZ60HWvYX — ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2020 × Lakshmi's mother said that she taught her to cook during the lockdown and she did really well. Looking at her daughter's progress and interest in cooking, her father suggested that Lakshmi should try to set a record. As per her father's information, previous such record was held by a 10-year-old girl from Kerala who had cooked 30 dishes in under an hour. As she cooked 46 dishes in 58 minutes, Lakshmi broke the previous record and set a new one.

Indian girl who learnt to cook during lockdown makes cooking world record

The US Congress has officially passed the USD 740 billion defence policy bill, which among other things include calling out Chinese aggression against India along the&nbsp;Line of Actual Control&nbsp;(LAC).

The US House of Representatives and the Senate on Tuesday passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included key components of Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s resolution language urging the Chinese government to end its military aggression against India along the LAC.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/india-china-standoff-how-indian-army-is-preparing-to-take-on-chinas-pla-in-ladakhs-snow-clad-mountains-350186" hreflang="en">India-China standoff- How Indian Army is preparing to take on China's PLA in Ladakh's snow clad mountains</a>

China and India have been locked in a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May this year. Several rounds of talks between the two countries to resolve the standoff have not yielded any concrete outcome.

The House and Senate versions of the bill were reconciled by a bipartisan Congressional conference committee earlier this month.

The inclusion of this provision, which Krishnamoorthi led as an amendment when the bill passed the House, reflects the US government’s strong support for its allies and partners like India in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

Krishnamoorthi’s measure, which passed each chamber with overwhelming bipartisan support, will become law if President Donald Trump signs it.

Trump has threatened to veto the bill as it lacks a repeal of legal protections for social media companies. However, the NDAA has been passed by Congress for the last 59 years.

“Violent aggression is seldom the answer, and this is especially true for the Line of Actual Control, which is the disputed border region that separates the People’s Republic of China from India,” Krishnamoorthi said.

“By including my resolution language in the NDAA and signing that legislation into law, the United States government will send a clear message that China’s military provocations of India will not be tolerated,” he said.

“The United States is committed to standing with our allies and partners like India in resolving the border standoff using diplomatic means,’ Krishnamoorthi said.

As approved by the conference report, the powerful NDAA says that it is the sense of the Congress on the aggression of China along the border with India and its growing territorial claims.

The Senate agreed to include the provisions of the bill that was passed by the House in its version of the bill.

The House bill contained provisions that would express the sense of Congress on cross-border violence between China and India and the growing territorial claims of Beijing.

Expressing “significant concern” over the continued military aggression by China along the border with India, the NDAA says that China “should work with” India toward de-escalating the situation along the Line of Actual Control through existing diplomatic mechanisms and refrain from attempting to settle disputes through coercion or force.

Attempts by China to advance baseless territorial claims, including those in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and with respect to Bhutan, are destabilising and inconsistent with international law, says the bill.

China is also engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea. China claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims.

Beijing has built up and militarised many of the islands and reefs it controls in the region. Both areas are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources and are also vital to global trade.

&nbsp;

The US Congress has officially passed the USD 740 billion defence policy bill, which among other things include calling out Chinese aggression against India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The US Congress has officially passed the USD 740 billion defence policy bill, which among other things include calling out Chinese aggression against India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The US House of Representatives and the Senate on Tuesday passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included key components of Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s resolution language urging the Chinese government to end its military aggression against India along the LAC. Also see: India-China standoff- How Indian Army is preparing to take on China's PLA in Ladakh's snow clad mountains China and India have been locked in a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May this year. Several rounds of talks between the two countries to resolve the standoff have not yielded any concrete outcome. The House and Senate versions of the bill were reconciled by a bipartisan Congressional conference committee earlier this month. The inclusion of this provision, which Krishnamoorthi led as an amendment when the bill passed the House, reflects the US government’s strong support for its allies and partners like India in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. Krishnamoorthi’s measure, which passed each chamber with overwhelming bipartisan support, will become law if President Donald Trump signs it. Trump has threatened to veto the bill as it lacks a repeal of legal protections for social media companies. However, the NDAA has been passed by Congress for the last 59 years. “Violent aggression is seldom the answer, and this is especially true for the Line of Actual Control, which is the disputed border region that separates the People’s Republic of China from India,” Krishnamoorthi said. “By including my resolution language in the NDAA and signing that legislation into law, the United States government will send a clear message that China’s military provocations of India will not be tolerated,” he said. “The United States is committed to standing with our allies and partners like India in resolving the border standoff using diplomatic means,’ Krishnamoorthi said. As approved by the conference report, the powerful NDAA says that it is the sense of the Congress on the aggression of China along the border with India and its growing territorial claims. The Senate agreed to include the provisions of the bill that was passed by the House in its version of the bill. The House bill contained provisions that would express the sense of Congress on cross-border violence between China and India and the growing territorial claims of Beijing. Expressing “significant concern” over the continued military aggression by China along the border with India, the NDAA says that China “should work with” India toward de-escalating the situation along the Line of Actual Control through existing diplomatic mechanisms and refrain from attempting to settle disputes through coercion or force. Attempts by China to advance baseless territorial claims, including those in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and with respect to Bhutan, are destabilising and inconsistent with international law, says the bill. China is also engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea. China claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims. Beijing has built up and militarised many of the islands and reefs it controls in the region. Both areas are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources and are also vital to global trade.

US Congress passes defence policy bill that calls out Chinese aggression against India

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